


Soul Within his Heart

by Darkangel105



Series: Trapped [3]
Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: Accidents, Angst, Dark, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional, Gay Sex, Graphic Description, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Sexual Content, Slow Paced, Slow To Update, Surreal, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-27 09:53:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 64,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10002029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkangel105/pseuds/Darkangel105
Summary: Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the storySome time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

Asami was sitting in his office looking over some paperwork. The evening was being swallowed up by time going by too fast for him, yet there was still so much he had to go over. A knock on the door mildly struck him out of the hours of reading some of the uninteresting documents so far.  
  
"Come in!", his voice echoed against the wooden panel.  
  
He didn't bother glancing up, when a couple of sentences caught him off guard in one of the new contracts he was planning to acquire. The door opened silently, as someone stepped through the threshold and onto the soft-carpeted flooring. The door clicked shut, and he heard a cough for his immediate attention.  
  
His golden eyes finally trailed up, and instantly narrowed in disapproval at the sight.  
  
His guard, Renji stood there, his suit covered with blotched areas of dried mud, and who knows what other soiled dirt. He seemed a little bruised on the forehead and a red scuff mark covered his left cheekbone. Though that wasn't what distracted Asami the most at the moment.  
  
It was the motionless long legs of the photographer, who was slung over the man's strong shoulder. The boy was completely quiet and not a word of ranting had come out of him so far. Asami's eyes swiftly glared back at his subordinate.  
  
"What did he do this time?", he asked in a low icy tone, as he straightened up tensely in his seat. He was surprised that he didn't clench his teeth tight enough through his words.  
  
Ever since the accident months ago, he has been more protective over the boy, but no matter what he did, there were always some recurrence. His mind reminisced to the last disastrous incident, and he instantly shut it out. Even now, it still made his stomach twist in a heavy knot.  
  
  
Renji felt his nerves flinch, while he carefully brought himself forward to explain the peculiar situation. In an orderly manner, he calmly spoke out.  
  
"I'm sorry Asami-sama. He was once again on a side job for the paper… it involved taking shots of a dangerous business deal not far from Kabukicho. I'm not sure who was apart of it, since we kept our distance, though I'm certain it had no connections to you, sir. Takaba was already done and in the clear of getting out, until there was another security sweep called out, and the other parties' bodyguards caught sight of him… A chase immediately broke out from there on."  
  
Renji sighed a little, shaking his head at the ordeal.  
  
"I tried getting Shiki to distract most of the others and divert their attention off of Takaba. There were two men who were tracking him, so I managed to catch up in time and knock them out along the way, and proceeded in going after him, myself. Just one thing kind of led to another… and um… well —" He stopped mid sentence, unsure which words were appropriate of not setting his boss into further agitation.  
  
  
Asami arched his eyebrow, asking in a tone of curiosity,  
"Why is he utterly unconscious?", nodding towards the slim body on the man's shoulder.  
  
  
Renji quickly looked down. _Damn I can't say that I nearly killed the kid, he will have my head._  
  
His boss was staring at him dead on, and he could feel the penetrating gaze. Renji ran his hand roughly through his blond hair, feeling a little more nervous than usual. He cleared his throat and tried to continue, raising his green eyes back to the man.  
  
"Well, after chasing him through half a block, he wouldn't stop even after I called out to him. We hit a large dark patch in the alleys, I didn't realize the kid tripped and fell to the pavement. Since I was tailing close and in the same pace, I kind of stumbled on something myself and ... um… landed quite heavily on top of him... Which is kind of the reason why he's... knocked out cold…", he finished off quietly.  
  
Rapidly, he averted his gaze from the man's eyes again, in fear they would burn him alive on the spot. He was already physically paralyzed by them.  
  
Golden eyes had turned even darker at the rare explanation. Asami wasn't sure whether to snicker at the image that played through his mind as anger swept through him just as fast. He kept his composure still as possible.  
  
"Dump him on the couch…" he growled,  
  
"You didn't break anything in him, I hope?", he inquired in a serious voice.  
  
His eyes gleamed with fury, watching his subordinate shake his head immediately to his question. Asami quietly observed from behind the desk, as his strong bodyguard carefully lowered the boy off of himself and laid him down gently upon the black leather sofa.  
  
"I'll deal with him and you later. Where's his camera?" Asami muttered under his breath.  
  
  
Renji tensed by reflex for a moment as he was straightening up.  
  
"In the car, I'll bring it up right away, sir.", he stuttered out his answer.  
  
  
Asami nodded more calmly now, as the surge of rage began to waver off.  
  
"Very well, leave us."  
  
His man bowed deeply and shuffled out of the room instantly in the relief of being let go.  
  
As the door shut, Asami leaned back into his leather chair, taking in a deep breath as he stared at the boy who lay oblivious to the real world. He wondered what he should do with him this time. It has been roughly less than six months since Akihito recovered fully from the fall that almost swept him away from his grasp. And now here he was placing his life in danger, once more. It caused him enough worry then, and the countless times in between. Now, he was just at a loss of how to reason with it. He tried not to keep count of the incidents, pretending to overlook some of them as he allowed the young man to continue in his line of work. Knowing pretty well he, himself, wasn't any better. Since his own life had already lead so many dark paths over the years.  
  
They both got through some strange stepping-stone over the time they'd been together. Hit large and small trials and errors, nevertheless things would smooth out and keep moving in full swing in their relationship. Akihito was still the young wild free spirit that he was so fond of, had fallen for, and still enjoyed to maintain once in a while. He had his moments of keeping a forceful detainment on the boy, but it never lasted long enough. Akihito always had his defiant way of breaking free, only to be tracked down by him in the next few days, and initiating a new adventure.  
  
_When will he learn? I give him freedom, but he still seems to use it in the wrong ways…_  
  
Leaning forward, he reached down for the bottom left drawer and opened it, his hand picked up a pair of handcuffs with a two-foot long chain. Sitting back up, he lightly tapped the metal ring against the mahogany wood, debating whether to restrain Akihito again or what proper steps he should even move forward with to teach his lover about heedfulness. Asami smirked as a few thoughts traced through his devious mind.  
  
_How many lessons has it been already…_  
  
He rose from his seat, it creaking as he got up. Sighing lightly, he quietly rounded the desk and slowly strolled towards the couch, most of his anger dissipating within the few steps he took. Looking over Akihito's peaceful face, he reached down, his dense fingers brushed over the scarce scrapes that showed up on the pale cheek, the bottom lip split open from a small cut.  
  
_That must have been a rough fall._  
  
Asami pursed his lip tightly still dwelling in the disapproval that it happened as he grabbed the right slender wrist, and placed the cuff over it, then bent over, and fastened the other one to a hoop in the foot of the sofa.  
  
_He won't have a chance of getting away, unless he intends to pull the furniture along with him._  
  
Akihito stirred for a second, but it didn't render him into consciousness. Soft moans of pain reflected into the room, almost disturbing to Asami's ears. He wondered if any injuries were bothering his lover.  
  
He gently pulled up on the hem of the thick sweatshirt and white tee shirt far enough, and saw right away the reddened mark of a bruise forming across the rib cage.  
  
_At least it stayed away from his previous injury._ The faint scar was always there as reminder to him.  
  
Asami delicately placed his large palm onto the warm skin, his fingers skimmed over the soft flesh that ran over the bones.  
  
_Nothing seems to be broken._  
  
Asami felt his heart quicken in pace, yearning to touch the other more, feeling himself heat up with lust instantly from his action. He forced his mind to withhold any sudden urges. Briskly, he rolled the boy onto the side, checking the slender back, just to see another bruise forming near the mid back.  
  
_Guessing he had the wind knocked out of him._  
  
He exhaled deeply, relieved that it wasn't anything serious. Shaking his head, and his uneasiness out along with it. Though his desire was another thing, and he tried to contain it. His first priority right now was to get rid of some of the work still piled up on his desk, and save his lover's fate for later. As the phone rang, it was enough of a distraction to pull him away entirely from the seduction and the boy.  
  
Asami adjusted Akihito properly on the sofa, and quickly walked away to his desk, grabbing the receiver as it started to tune louder.  
  
"Asami, speaking.", he answered, calmly.  
  
"Sir, Wakasa-san is here to see you. Should I show him to the spare office?" Izumi's voice went through the line.  
  
Asami looked from the corner of his eyes at the slender figure again whimpering in his sleep.  
  
"Yes, please do so. I'll be there shortly."  
  
Hanging up, he took another deep breath. He didn't like this interruption, either.  
  
_What could that man possibly want from me?_  
  
Circling back to the front of his desk, he gathered up all the papers and folders and carefully placed them into the top drawer. Pausing for a moment, as his eyes stopped on the two small boxes tucked into the front corner of it. One of his fingers traced over the velvet covering, knowing the content of it. His heart thumped for a second, skipping from its normal range of calm beats.  
  
A deep sigh out from Akihito made him lose his current thought. Quickly, he grabbed his keys off the desk, and locked everything up for safekeeping. Pocketing his cellphone, and taking his suit jacket off the coat rack, his feet led him towards the door. Before leaving, he dimmed the office lights just enough for the boy to get some peaceful rest, especially for what he had planned.  
  
  
  
Izumi stood next to the door of the occupied office, nodding as Asami-sama headed his way from the opposite direction. Opening the door for his boss, he sensed the man had an unsettling aura. Izumi stiffened just for a second, knowing something didn't seem right. Shutting the door immediately behind the man, he stood his ground, just in case of any sudden emergencies. Taking a side-glance upon the door across the room, he wondered if he should check in on the photographer once in a while as well. But since Asami didn't mention anything to him, there was most likely no need to do so.  
  
Ever since Takaba became a greater importance of safe keeping, Renji's and his life had become a certain nightmare. Thankfully, they weren't on duty all the time, letting the rookies do some of the dirty work of running about after the boy. Other times they steered clear of the photographer's small setbacks with his freelance work as long as it wasn't gang related, or either too low key for Asami to glimpse at.  
  
However, over the months that have passed the young man still managed to dash into multiple amounts of misfortune. That included coming back with bruising all over various parts of his body from unpredictable run ins, some sprained ankles or wrists.  There had been a few petty fights, too. At least there weren't any broken bones or fractures to deal with. At one point Izumi rolled his eyes thinking of the numerous times they were in emergency rooms for any of those small injuries.  
  
He could never forget Asami's wrath over one particular incident. The thought of it always sent a shiver down his spine. It was hard for some of the men to live down when it happened, and a major lesson taught to the others that decided to work in this man's organization. Half of the team had to be retrained in security and detail measures, including other invasive ways of tracking. Izumi realized that was also the only time Asami was very hostile towards everyone.  
  
Now the only relief anyone ever got was when their boss had Takaba tightly locked up in the penthouse for a couple of days. Well, more or less tried to, before the entire routine would begin all over again. He wondered how much trouble Renji got himself into this time, but knew it couldn't be helped. Shaking his head, at the tiresome thoughts.  
  
_When will that brat grow up?_  
  
  
  
As the door shut behind him, Asami went directly to the desk in the center of the room. Keeping his hands hidden in his pockets, he stood tall by his chair, eyeing the man below who had been waiting patiently for him.  
  
He eventually nodded to the other respectfully, who was sitting in one of the chairs.  
  
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Wakasa-san?", he spoke lowly, implying he really wasn't interested in this meeting at the current moment.  
  
The sixty-year old man rose up from his seat and bowed in greeting and honor. He seemed to have aged well, still standing tall and sturdy, his hair seemed more whiter compared to the peppered shade he used to remember.  
  
“No, no. Thank you, Asami-sama for seeing me at such a late hour.”, he responded appreciatively.  
  
When Wakasa was taking his seat once more, he noticed a grim expression phase through the elder's face. It gave Asami only a minor impression for the man's reasons of setting up this unscheduled appointment. Something must have stirred on the outside for the other to make such a rash move.  
  
Even as they were more or less equal in ranks, it was rare for him to see Wakasa in his office, aside from banquet hall gatherings or larger business meetings with few politicians.  
  
"I think you might know the reason for my visit more or less.", the older man started,  
"You are a man of great ideals and lately hold a lot of important ground in your hands throughout Tokyo's growing sectors. So I'm…", he cleared the tightness in his throat, "Well I was wondering if you could fulfill a business proposition for me.", he inquired, his lip slipping lightly to a small curl, as if embarrassed that he had to ask this of Asami.  
  
Asami watched the older man carefully, listening to every word that came out with its intentions.  
  
_Well at least he admits he is after something…_  
  
Yet, his golden eyes narrowed.  "Please, get straight to the point.", he uttered quietly.  
  
He took his seat in the leather chair, and leaned back slowly into it comfortably. Observing the man's demeanor, Wakasa brown eyes revealed enough to him, that this wasn't even about money, just a possession he particularly had.  
  
Wakasa smiled again faintly, adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat once more before making it an official proposal.  
  
"I want…  a certain area of Satonori-san's property.", he asked politely, staying calm as possible under Asami's gaze.  
  
Asami raised an eyebrow at the specific name attached to the request. He stayed still momentarily, trying to keep his surprised expression withheld, as his fingertips of his right hand drummed against his thigh. It came up so unexpectedly, that just hearing the man's name made him agitated and boil with hatred instantly.  
  
_I should have known…_  
  
It hadn't been uttered by anyone's lips for months, especially after Satonori's death and the investigation behind it. It was implied that he had something to do with it. And in truth, he did, by getting rid of the man and all the evidence of the politician’s treacherous act against him. He made sure to clear his own name in the process and some of the connections to it through his lawyers. Afterwards, no other person even dared to bring up the issue within his presence. Now that enough time had passed, he should have expect it to resurface at some point.  
  
_Why is he bringing it up now though?… Not many know what I have from that man anyway…_  
  
He calmly took out his normal pack of cigarettes from his jacket, and tapped one out against the edge of the desk, continually eyeing the other as he did. Lighting one up with no hesitation, he inhaled a deep breath of the nicotine that would keep him in control through the rest of this encounter.  
  
"What makes you think I've got it?" he finally asked in monotonous tone.  
  
“Well… um… you were the last person to have anything to do with the man, himself, aside from Iwato-san. After his unexpected passing, I was expecting some of the properties he owned to be available for resale, but instead they seemed to have disappeared off the market rather quite quickly…” Wakasa explained.  
  
Asami suddenly had a pang of uneasiness, and held his breath full of smoke for a second before releasing it, he had to think carefully of how to respond.  
  
“Now hold up...” Wakasa interrupted his train of thought, as if sensing he had misspoken.  
  
The man raised his hand up in defense, “I'll admit, I had someone look into it, but only in what I'm interested in.”  
  
Asami kept his gaze cold, staying silent as the man uncomfortably attempted to continue with his explanation.  
  
“I won't question your method of how you acquired the property, since we are all in the same line of work here… I'm sure it was part of an agreement with Satonori-san, before his tragic demise. I know he was trying to achieve a greater career than just being a councilor in one part of the city. Most likely his impatience angered one of the upper ranks in the process of getting there…", he quietly finished in a pause, seeing no change in Asami appearance.  
  
"However…", trying to get off the subject, "Working with someone like you… well people can climb higher in their profession.”  
  
“And is that what you're looking for?” Asami asked in a serious voice. His golden eyes penetrating deep into the brown ones that gazed back at him.  
  
“No, no...” Wakasa quickly respond, shaking his head and breaking eye contact,  
"I just want to acquire it for some extra profit, I'm not as young anymore as I used to be. As you can see, retirement will be soon upon me. But I do want to set things up ahead for my son, so he could at least have a chance at a good future ahead of him… That is, even if he decides to follow in my line of work.”  
  
"Hmmm…" Asami pondered on the idea for a moment, exhaling smoke. "What type of business?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, well it could be a joint account if you'd like, anything is fitting for that particular property I had in mind. And I know how much you like doing deals on the side… so I'm quite sure there is something we can work out to accommodate it.", his words had a slight tinge of emphasis in them.  
  
Asami took another inhale of the cigarette, never setting his sight off of the average built man. He considered the option, and what Wakasa was really up to, wondering if there was an ulterior motive behind it and how much the other really knew. He had to be conscious of it. Exhaling, the smoke slowly misted around him like a heavy deadly fog.  
  
"I'll think about it.", he replied a little intrigued, and slid a notepad across the desk's surface.  
  
"Give me the information of what you're looking at. I'll see what kind of agreement we can come up with from there on.", with that said he gave his usual smirk.  
  
The older man picked up the pad, and nodded.  
"Thank you for your consideration.", he responded gratefully as he fished out a pen from his shirt pocket and started to scribble down the address and business details.  
  
Asami watched him intently, thinking, and speculating, until his mind got tired of all its precautions. His thoughts steadily wandered off back to Akihito in the other room, and if the other had woken up yet. He calmly exhaled, letting the smoke continue to fill the space around him.  
  
  
  
  
Akihito stirred from his sleep, feeling certain stabs of pain strike him across different points of his body. He recalled the fall and then being hit by something, or more like it heavily dropped on top of him. His head throbbed from the harsh impact he had made with the ground. His hazel eyes cracked open to slits, only to notice pitch-black darkness all around him.  
  
_Am I still in the alley... but then… what was it that hit me??_  
  
Looking side to side he couldn't see anything, not the glance of a dusty shade of night sky, misty hues of evening lights, or even the squares of lighted windows.  
  
_What the hell is this?… Was I put into some sort of cell?_  
  
He lay there on his back, the cold ground slowly seeping into his form. His hands patted the surroundings, fingertips tracing against the even surface. He rolled onto his side, half of the world spinning along with the turn in his head. It was a sense of dizziness, even though it was jet-black all around him. He was beginning to fill up with fear, unsure of what was even happening to him.  
  
_Did I get seriously injured or something?…_  
  
As his thought finished, his limbs felt a peculiar awareness of warming up suddenly, but it mostly concentrated around his beating heart. His breathing felt heavier suddenly, like the atmosphere was being engulfed by a thick smog. He shut his eyes tightly, hoping to wake up the minute he would open them up again.  
  
Though when he did pry them open, he was still lying on the ground, just somewhere up high in the vast horizon. The vivid blue sky was washed over by light of a glorious bright morning.  
  
_What?… How??_  
  
He had somehow ended up on what seemed to be a roof top. His eyes quickly scanned the area, as thoughts raced through the possibilities and the sudden change of scenery. It all came to a crashing halt when his gaze swept up, and caught the tall figure standing less than two feet away from his head.  
  
The man stood there rigidly near the edge of the roof's rim. His profile seemed tense, as he was breathing hard, and kept his eyes closed towards the world.  
  
_Asami???_  
  
Akihito tried to move and couldn't. Panic ebbed in and out of him, as he watch the eerie scene.  
The sense of recognition dwelled, like it was some sort of distance memory.  
  
_I've been here before… but when?…_  
  
Akihito struggled to get up, though some other willful source held him down permanently, zapping his energy away. It kept him from interfering, as if he was only meant to be there and observe the situation at hand. And so he tried, weak against all odds and understandings of it, as he peered at the man's facial expression from his perspective.  
  
_He looks like he…  lost something…_  
  
Just the sight of it made his heart ache with sympathy for the other. Akihito squinted his eyes slightly, vaguely seeing the blearily mass. It was a dark fog lingering around the older man, circulating around his body. Seeping in and out of the yakuza's form once in a while like a contagious plague. Every second that passed, it seemed to grow darker.  
  
Akihito swallowed thickly, that it hurt his throat. The way that mist surrounded his lover, was exactly like the heavy darkness he felt being trapped in moments ago.  
  
He tried to utter the man's name, but when he moved his lips no words came out. Every whisper and whimper he made vanished as if sound, itself, didn't exist around him. He gasped a large breath in realization.  
  
_Why can't I hear properly???_  
  
Noticing now that every sound wave was muffled, nothing seemed vibrant nor clear. His eyes began to well up, as he began to struggle against his hold once more, this time panic seized him in full throttle, and it wasn't something he could easily shut out.  
  
_This isn't right… I'm not all right… I can't hear nor speak… I can't move… and **he** doesn't even see me…_  
  
Akihito cried out breathlessly, but all he could do was lie there, unnoticeable to the rest of the mystifying world.  
  
His hazel eyes suddenly widened when a tremendous gust of wind suddenly swept through the area. A burst of white feathers shot up against the building's edge and scattered throughout the sky like snowflakes.  
  
He had to blink a couple of times, to make sure he was seeing things correctly. The main mass of feathers swirled and enveloped Asami, dispersing the darkness that was there into nothing. Whatever those things were had set his lover free.  
  
A few of the plumes had even drifted upon him. And he had to close his eyes as he endured the spiritual energy coming off of them, surging powerfully throughout his entire being. The sense of them was so familiar to him, yet, somehow filled with a greater power he couldn't comprehend.  
  
Everything within him finally drew itself to a calming state, like nothing would ever dare to go wrong here.  
  
Opening his eyes, his gaze instinctually fell back upon Asami, who seemed to be talking to himself. But he didn't care, as the distinct murmur of the man's voice traveled through the air. The older man looked so carefree, it warmed his heart in a way he never had felt before. The vibrant glowing light that was given off from those feathers seemed so magical to him, and Akihito suddenly longed for Asami with an intense ache. He desperately wanted to know more of this side of the man.  
  
While he tried to reach out to the one he loved, in that synchronizing moment a feather fell right down towards his hand, brushing very gently against the back of his fingers. Though, this time when it made contact, a sharp spark of electricity emitted from it. Akihito hissed, as words echoed deep in the back of his mind in a broken sentence.  
  
_"You… must… prot… h..."_ a soft voice called out, almost sounding like his own.  
  
Suddenly, the scene began to fade around him, the shuddering darkness sweeping in just as swiftly. He was set free from his confinement, and quickly brought himself up to sitting. Turning his head left and right, he tried to figure out why he ended up back in the agonizing mist, again.  
  
"Akihito…"  
  
His name was whispered through it, echoing off into the distance like a reciting ring.  
  
  
  
He felt something drift against his cheek, it was warm and gave him a sense of peace he suddenly so yearned for. It was a well known touch that removed all his insecurities of the heart. This time it even managed to stir him out of his bizarre dream.  
  
Slowly, he opened his eyes, quickly peering side to side into the dim lit surroundings, before settling his gaze back to Asami, who was intently gazing down at him.  
  
The man was sitting on the thin edge of the sofa, partially hovering over his chest, while supporting most of his own weight against the back cushions with an elbow. Having the man so near him gave Akihito more warmth, as the golden eyes watched him carefully, showing a touch of worry over something.  
  
"You all right?…  It seemed like you were having a bad dream." Asami asked quietly.  
  
Akihito stayed silent processing the remark, and shook his head lightly from the disarray, which caused a throb of pain and dizziness. He placed his hand over the large one that still hadn't left his cheek, as if making sure it was really there. Blinking his eyes, he tried to recall what had happened, as the sense of being wrapped up in the spell of slumber hadn't left him.  
  
"I dreamt… ", he scrunched his eyebrows, as the glimpse glided through his mind, "of feathers.", he quietly muttered.  
  
  
Asami instantly tensed at the words, and just as quickly eased up, trying to brush it off like it hadn't meant anything. Slipping his hand away calmly, his heart skipped a few beats in contradiction, unable to shake the word 'feathers' off quite so easily. He had never forgotten the dream Akihito and him shared. Yet now, concern began to take hold of him, as he recalled the warning along with his unfulfilling promise in it.  
  
_Why did he remember it now?_  
  
  
Akihito tried to twist his body onto his side, being difficult as it was since the man was pinning him down slightly. And when he yanked his right hand up, a strong force stopped it from moving any further. Confused, he looked at his wrist, where a shiny silver ring was wrapped snugly around it. His eyes darted straight up at Asami with annoyance. In return, the older man only smirked.  
  
"What? I didn't want you getting away while I was out of the office…", Asami replied amused.  
  
Akihito glowered even more at the statement.  
  
“Right… Is that really the only reason…", he grumbled lowly.  
  
Now that he was fully awake, he didn't really want to stick around anymore, knowing very well he was in for it. The man straightened up, giving him some breathing space. Slowly, he pulled himself up on the sofa to a sitting position, his mind spinning somewhat with the shift. He glanced down at the long chain, and where it was hooked to.  
  
"Can you remove this already?" Akihito asked quietly.  
  
Instead, strong fingers lifted his chin up, and he was face to face with Asami just inches away.  
  
"Maybe… But I think I need to teach you something… _Again_ …" the man breathed out his words heavily.  
  
Akihito gritted his teeth at the comment, only to spur the man on into mocking him more.  
  
  
Asami grinned, feeling the tension in the jaw as the boy kept his mouth shut. Releasing his hold, Asami stood up and sauntered over to his mahogany desk. Spotting the camera immediately, he hadn't noticed it before when he walked in, mostly because he was distracted by the boy's unsettled state.  
  
Picking up the piece of technology, he went directly for the tab to the film compartment, which was already loosened. Asami frowned when he didn't see what he was looking for, and it made him even more displeased that very minute.  
  
Turning towards the photographer, who seemed to be inspecting his left knee through a torn hole in the jeans. Asami noticed the crimson scab over it, most likely another injury resulting from the fall. It seemed he had missed it also while he was looking over his lover before.  
  
Despite that, he avoided bringing up that matter now. He walked up to the younger man and dangled the camera in front of the hazel eyes.  
  
"Where's the film?" he uttered in a firm tone.  
  
Akihito's eyes widened, grabbing his precious object, promptly. It seemed the photographer was more shocked than him. The camera was obviously banged up, while Akihito carefully examined it.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me? Why is it empty?", he shouted out of sheer disbelief.  
  
He looked up at the older man, as if it was suddenly his fault. Asami kept eyeing him, wondering if the boy was serious or trying to play a sly act. Looking deeply into the big round eyes, he noticed the dismay that ran through them. Sighing, he picked up the slender wrist with some strength in his grip, while taking the key out of his pocket.  
  
Setting Akihito's wrist free, " _ **NO**_ darting out!", he only heeded that one warning in a strict tone.  
  
  
Akihito pouted for a moment, but nodded slowly in agreement. He was more frustrated that the film was missing. It was an entire night’s work for him, not to mention the pay out from it.  
  
_Was the fall that intense that it dislodge the cover open? I know the roll was done… but…_  
  
Inhaling deeply, he got lost in thought of where he had gone through that evening and the chances of it still lying about somewhere out there. It made him entirely oblivious to the fact that Asami was ready to leave the office.  
  
"Are you coming?" it was spoken loudly, as if he hadn't heard it the first time.  
  
The question knocked him out of the web of notions, his head shot up to see the man standing by the door. He nodded his head quickly, and slowly stood up with his mangled equipment in hand.  
  
Akihito moved towards his lover, whom now had his back turned to him, and he froze.  
  
His heart was pounding in a loud rhythm, suddenly, that he could hear it drumming in his ears. The atmosphere in the room abruptly changed, like he had walked through an illusionary threshold.  
  
_I'm seeing things??? I have to be…_  
  
He blinked his eyes a couple of times, yet the object still remained in sight. A single white feather was on the man's shoulder, glowing in contrast to the black suit. It was just like the ones in his wild dream. He didn't know why, but by instinct he threw himself towards Asami. And just when he tried to reach out for it, he paused again in pace.  
  
It was gone, and he couldn't locate it anywhere, as he looked around.  
  
_What the hell?…_  
  
It left him frustrated, yet his heart call out for something vibrantly. This time the words came through clearly, and he couldn't move nor shake them off.  
  
_"You must protect him..."_  
  
He was lost in the mist of the reverberating words coming and going. Until his view suddenly tipped over, causing him to gasp loudly, and snap out of the weird trance.  
  
Asami had thrown him over a bulky shoulder.  
  
" **Hey!!!** What are you doing?", he yelled, hitting the man's muscular back with his fist.  
  
"You were taking too long… it looked like you saw a ghost..." Asami retorted to the protest.  
  
Akihito got quiet at once, swallowing the rest of his rant, realizing the man noticed something was odd about him.  
  
"Your knee is hurt anyway…", the yakuza added quietly, as if that was the main reason for carrying him over.  
  
Akihito just smiled at the gesture, winding his arms around the firm waist, while he hung on upside-down. Squeezing tightly, he willed himself and his heart to forget the absurd act of his untamed imagination. Pushing the doubts of it somewhere far into the back of his mind.  
  
_Asami can take care of himself. He always has._  
  
Smiling at the thought, he inhaled the usual scent of cigarettes and cologne through the dark jacket. Being with Asami was what mattered to him the most now, and nothing else will change that for him anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story 
> 
>  
> 
> **Some time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter alone is known as hot and cold to some a few years back. And contains a lot of smex!_
> 
>  
> 
> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

 

Walking into the dimly lit room, Asami laid the cradled young man in his arms down upon the bed. Even though he was planning to rouse the pesky photographer up any minute, he decided to let him be just for a little while longer. As he watched Akihito sleep in the meantime, he noticed again the uneasy state of mind the younger one was at. Hearing the deep sighs and mumbles come out incoherently more often now.  
  
_Something is definitely bothering him…_  
  
Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, he observed silently while staying close to his young lover's body. Knowing Akihito quite well, this time it was obvious something was disturbing the boy since their last encounter. His hand slid into the soft sandy locks, feeling the other lean into his calming touch. It's as if Akihito could always sense his presence, and fall into its comfort. Giving a halfhearted smile, he wanted to know what was going on inside the other's mind. And then his brows knitted as he thought back to the car ride home.  
  
  
After being tossed into the back seats, Akihito had managed to fall asleep right away with his head laid on his lap.  It was a quiet trip home, surprisingly no urgent phone calls of troubling news came through. Generally, there would be at least two or three. It made him appreciate it just a little, that moment of peace, which was sometimes needed. But something did distract him though, and it was the way Akihito started to shiver under his hand while he slept. To a point where the boy abruptly jolted awake, sitting up and looking around like something terrible had happened.  
  
With the first question that followed, _'How much longer till we get there?'_  
  
Usually, Akihito didn't care how long a ride would last, so it made the atmosphere a little awkward. Something had clearly scared him, and when he inquired what was really wrong, Akihito only looked away towards the window saying it was just some ' _stupid_ ' nightmare.  
  
Asami tried not to show too much concern, so all he could do was pull the boy against his chest, and try to placid the strange tension in the air. Observing the situation, it seemed a lot more to him than just a mere nightmare, but didn't pursue it with a ton of questions. Instead, he let his mind trace back on the memory of his enchanted experience and the recollection of the feathers Akihito mentioned.  
  
_Were they the same?…  As that dream from so long ago that Akihito locked away and never brought up?…_  
  
_Should I be looking for other signs?… What if he is just remembering and there is nothing more to it…_  
  
When he blinked away the small distraction, he took a deep gracious breath. Akihito had ended up passing out again in his arms, while he had been lost in his thoughts. This was also strange to him, finding the other so exhausted, as he glanced down upon the photographer.  
  
_Has he been working too hard?_  
  
According to reports from his men, it seemed Akihito had been fairly busy for the past month, and it was noted to be his second night of wandering the streets of Kabukicho trying to catch crime sprees in action. The conclusion of this evening's chase must have been a snag to the rest of the workload.  
  
Though it has been most likely a full week that the boy had been involved in all-nighter activities. All of which were thankfully out of his business districts and connections. That one rule alone took a lot of implementing into Akihito throughout most of November and December. And after a while the photographer began to comply more or less with it.  
  
When they arrived at the garage, he tried to rouse the boy, only to get resistance. He ended up carrying the lean form upstairs, and nothing seemed to wake him. Whether it was the bustling of the lobby or hum of the elevator, Akihito stayed soundly asleep.  
  
  
  
Asami's lip curled, as all he wanted to do now was be lost in the warm depths of his lover. At least for tonight, before he had to head off in the morning to the other cities for business. He would have taken Akihito with him for the seven day trip, but it was best when the photographer had no way of interfering with some of his illegal deals.  
  
Standing up, he silently shifted away from the bed while taking out his pack of cigarettes from his jacket. Pulling one out with his lips, he lit it up with the flicker of a flame, and put the box back in the pocket. Inhaling the smoky mist deep into his lungs, the stick hung loosely from his lips. In the meantime, he slipped out of his jacket, and undid his tie. Tossing both articles to the nearby chair. Asami exhaled a gust of air and smoke, his golden eyes taking a glance from the corner, back onto the lean form. He wondered about the different ways he should use to educate the young man. As he was tired of the rash decisions Akihito made sometimes, and how effortlessly he fell into the pits of danger.  
  
But internally, he debated if it was the right time to do such a thing. He thought back to a moment where he knew he almost paid a hefty price for it. But that was a time where he didn't know how to deal with it, and had to do something, otherwise nothing would save him from doing the worst. He tried hard not to dwell on it.  
  
_Maybe I should go easy on him?…_  
  
Taking another deep breath, he started to undo his now wrinkled dress shirt, one button at a time, revealing his muscular toned chest. His eyes stayed on the bed, upon the immobile form that seemed to be mumbling in his sleep, once more.  
  
_He's doing it again… he never was much of a sleep talker…_  
  
He exhaled once more, as smoke filled his space, and a small smile crept onto his eager lips. Taking the cigarette out, as he walked up to the nightstand. Quickly, he extinguished it in the ashtray, while his other hand undid the belt. The leather strap relaxed, while he undid his black dress pants. As the clothing rustled down to the floor, he stepped out of it. Sliding his socks off as well, till all he was left in were his black briefs and loosened white shirt.  
  
Akihito was still in deep slumber, so he pulled open the nightstand drawer and took out a black leather collar with a long enough chain, along with a small bottle of lube. Placing both articles on the counter, he thought about the need for the small restraint. It was just in case, or Akihito might just be obedient enough to listen to him tonight without it. He eyed it for another second, and promptly changed his mind.  
  
_Oh what the hell… it won't hurt him…_  
  
Grabbing the item, he placed the one inch thick band around the neck, enclosing it a little slacked and the other end of the chain was attached to the bar at the top of the headboard.  
  
Slowly, he slid onto the mattress, his weight dipping into it as he shifted the lean body gently over more towards the center of it. He didn't want the boy to jump out of bed too soon. He undid the zipper from the heavy hooded sweatshirt. Slipping the sleeves off the thin arms, one at a time. Akihito only tried to push him away in his sleep, but it didn't interfere with his expedition of getting the young man naked.  
  
His large hands gently swiped the white thin T-shirt up the pale soft skin. Akihito tried to swat his hands away again and muttered something that only made him grin, and lick his lips in excitement for a bigger fight, as he pulled it over boy's head. The shirt wound around the steel chain, so while the photographer was still in his own little world, he unfastened it. Throwing the piece of clothing, along with the sweatshirt off to the bedside floor, and reattached the chain back to the collar.  
  
Akihito insensibly rolled over onto his side, a trail of goose bumps ran over the pale flesh. Asami briskly undid the denim blue jeans, and using both hands, he hooked his fingers into the waistband of the brief's. Slowly he tugged and maneuvered both fabrics off the waist, the round ass, till he slithered it down the slender legs. Once he reached the feet, the socks came off easily with the other pieces of attire. And dropped all the unwanted articles at the foot of the bed.  
  
An unintentional shiver ran through him, setting the perfect drive forward within him. Skimming his large palms up the warm lean calf, he stopped at the knee and examined it. Once he was sure it was fine, he continued up the thigh, and crawled over the boy's thin legs. His thumb ran over the hipbone, lightly nudging over the smooth skin, and placing more pressure on it with his palm. He pushed it back down to the soft mattress, so that the flawless view would appear before him. His sexual appetite surged through him, all the way to the pit of his stomach and member. Glancing back up at the form, who was still unconscious, he eagerly bent over, his mouth watering and ready for the anticipating reaction.  
  
His golden eyes were set on the calm sleeping face, as his hot tongue first moistened his lips, and then ran slow and roughly against the length of soft flesh from the bottom of the sac to the top of the tip. Springing it to life with just a mere wet sweep. Akihito moaned lightly, still not aware of his cruel intention.  
  
His hand firmly pressed on the hip, as his mouth wrapped around the tip, this time he slowly took the erection deep down into his moist mouth. While observing the boy, who had begun to resurface from his dreams. When his luscious lips hit the hilt, he tightened his teeth just slightly enough around the awakened member and pulled up rapidly. His teeth grazing every portion of soft skin on the way up.  
  
  
Akihito's eyes shot open immediately.  
  
"Ahhhhwwwww… " he nearly growled, as he sat up quickly from the unexpected burning sensation.  
  
Scrambling his legs out from underneath the man, he nearly kneed the other in the face while trying to do so, as he backed away. Akihito quickly plastered himself against the headboard, glaring at Asami angrily, who was still in the center of the bed eyeing him carefully.  
  
"What the hell are you trying to do?" he shouted, his heart pounding from the rude awakening. Even though he should be used to it somewhat by now.  
  
Asami only smirked, but those golden spheres spoke on a different level. Lust was profoundly shown, while another emotion was warning him to behave or else. Akihito swallowed hard, feeling the slight compression around his neck, and realized something uncomfortably pressed into his back. Looking over himself swiftly and around, he was completely naked and bound by a choker and chain.  
  
  
Asami saw the questioning look in the hazel eyes, and answered it with a low tone.  
  
"That's so you definitely can't make a run for it."  
  
Akihito sunk against the wooden cold surface, almost pouting in annoyance.  
  
"You've got a choice of listening to me tonight… or I just won't play nice… " Asami advised him with a calm voice. "Unless you want things to turn out like they did over there… " he tilted his head over towards the window.  
  
  
Akihito's eyes widened and swept to the broad opening, he gulped again quickly shaking his head in a 'no'. Trying to shy away from that memory, and focus on what set the man off this time. He knew he was in trouble, but not the severity of it. This was most likely going to be a long night. Asami began to crawl towards him, like a large tiger ready to pounce him any second. He could only gasp, his eyes searching left and right, even though he knew it was completely pointless and he had to abide to Asami's whims no matter what. He had gone through a tougher lesson before, that sent a shiver down his spine even now.  
  
Once the man was near him, trapping him on all sides, he nearly flattened himself against the wall out of reflex.  
  
A strong arm pulled him off of it by snaking under his armpit, and creeping past his shoulder blade towards his neck. He felt dense fingers coil into the back of his locks, gripping them tightly, followed by a harsh tug. Pulling his head back, it revealed his pale taut neck, as his breath shuddered.  
  
  
Asami brought his lips to the young man's ear, "If you can't comprehend why, it's because you were way too reckless, once more. So it's time to set some new ground rules _again_ , don't you think.", he whispered heavily in a somewhat dangerous timbre that made the other tremor all over.  
  
  
Even with the tone the man used with him, Akihito flinched for maybe a second before having his own strike of anger come to surface. His eyes narrowed, and he pushed against the man's hard shoulders with all he had.  
  
"It was just a simple job for crying out loud…  It's my life too, you know, I can do as I please with it…" he growled out. Akihito's efforts didn't do much to oppose the man's strength.  
  
Asami took a deep breath, the way the sound vibrated through his ear, made him catch his own, as his heart began to race in a faster rhythm.  
  
Words quietly spilled close to it, "Not if you're my lover, you have to be a little more careful…  I can't think of losing you like I almost did that time.", Asami expressed himself very earnestly.  
  
A warm tongue traced across the edge of his ear. Akihito squirmed, shivers of cold traveled through his body, as if he were frozen to the core, while the heated breaths feathered against his skin. He hadn't noticed the hand release its grip from his mop of hair, and was in front now, sliding up against his chest. When it reached his neck, the fingers gripped his chin roughly.  
  
"So for tonight, you do as I say… _understood._ ", the husky tone swept through him almost like a hot fire. Akihito nodded slowly through the restraining palm.  
  
“Good…" it was whispered against his skin, which speckled from the warmth.  
  
The moist thick lips glided against his pulsing neck, as the wet tongue trailed lightly in a ticklish way. Hearing a deep sigh come out from the man, and a deep raspy breath taken in, it made him shudder all of a sudden. Sharp teeth suddenly sunk into the side of his nape, as lips sucked on his skin with force, marking it in an unkind way.  
  
"Nghh… Ahhh… Oww… " Akihito hissed loudly through the electrifying contact, clenching his teeth tightly as his eyes stung momentarily.  
  
The jolt ran through all his nerves, he could feel himself twitching from it. Asami slowly backed away from him entirely, as the sense of the other's body heat made the atmosphere seem hazy for him, briefly. The man took one of the king-sized pillows, and propped it upright against the wooden board. Akihito just watched him in the corner of his eye, unsure of how to react or where to move.  
  
  
Asami curved his lip a touch, seeing the young man's utter confusion. Sitting down, he leaned against the fluffed up cushion, settling himself in very comfortably. Looking over to his side, he reached out and grabbed the chain, yanking it a little harshly. Pulling Akihito right over to his side, he made the boy face him, while hauling one of the slender legs over his own.  
  
"Come here…  I want you on your knees. Hands placed up on the wall, far apart. You don't move unless I move you to.", he ordered quietly, yet firmly.  
  
Akihito glared at him tensely, pursing his lips shut, undeniably hating the idea right away, seeing the stubbornness settling into him. Asami yanked the chain once more, bring the boy almost nose to nose.  
  
"And make sure not to hide your voice." He whispered onto the thin lips, his tongue flicked out and lick over them and the small wound, making them moist for the other.  
  
  
Akihito contemplated, but didn't try pulling away, that would be a mistake on his part. And finally adjusted his weight on his knees, with the left one hurting a little, as he set himself over the man's muscular thighs. Crawling forward, he reached out over the bulky shoulders, his palms planting flat first against the panel and then skimmed upward, towards the top edge of the headboard. Sturdy hands helped him scoot closer to the other's chest, and he bit his lip gently, as his member brushed over the man's hot skin. He could feel himself getting turned on, a flush creeping in, even though nothing had really happened, yet.  
  
  
Asami repositioned Akihito right after, to his own liking. Sliding his solid palm up against the stomach and higher, pushing the chest up more so the other would be straighten out while being on his knees. All the slender limbs were outstretched to their capacity. Asami pulled the thighs up close against his shoulders, and left his hands on them, as the heat transcended through the skin, along with the rise of prickling and dampness.  
  
He slid himself a bit down into the plush pillow, as his hot breath escaped unto the flesh in front of him. The young man's cock jutted out, and twitched as it was almost at his eye level.  
  
"You better not try to pull away… " Asami warned intensely, moistening his lips again with a quick sweep of the tongue, and slowly began to engulf the awaiting hot flesh.  
  
His tongue slithered underneath it, sensing the pulsing veins, and ground over them a couple of times, purposely. The wave of light throbs and spasms it sent out in reaction just from that contact made his own member harden. Moving his head back and forth slowly, he took his time, sliding it in and out of his mouth, each time taking it at a long exaggerating slow pace, till he tasted the faint traces of salty fluids begin to seep more persistently. Asami tightened his fingers around the thighs, as trembling vibes traveled through them. He slowly pulled away with a trail of saliva threading from his lips, and gazed up at Akihito.  
  
The boy's chest was heaving, taking in deep breaths, as his face was flushed and it looked like he was holding on from the world turning upside down. Asami grinned at what he was seeing, his tongue extended and pick up the round tip. Guiding it back into his mouth, and enclosed tightly around the head. Letting his tongue roughly play with the slit, either prodding into it, or swirling over it continually.  
  
  
"Oh… god…" Akihito moaned out loudly, his muscles shook with a trace of almost giving in, as Asami's hands were rubbing up and down his thighs, very slowly and sensually.  
  
"Ahhhh… mmm… Asa… " he whimpered breathlessly, unable to take it any more, wanting to thrust deep into the warmth so badly, yet resisting to with all his damn might. Knowing a harsh consequence would follow if he did, so he only clenched his hands tightly, fighting it.  
  
  
Asami saw the thin arms trembling, and slipping down the wall. He pulled his mouth away instantly, hearing a loaned groan of disapproval from his lover.  
  
"Remember what I _said_." he grumbled, eyeing the boy. In the meantime, he moistened an index finger in his mouth, slathering it up with enough spit.  
  
  
Akihito quickly put his hands back up where they were, his fingers grabbed the edge of the board, and shut his eyes tightly. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out with this foreplay. Tenacious fingers began crawling up his inner thighs, reaching toward his round cheeks, and groping them with some strength. He almost felt like gasping for air, his skin turning very hot and into a deep florid shade, knowing the man was watching every one of his reactions from down below.  
  
  
Asami brought his mouth back onto the erection, this time taking in most of its length all at once. Holding it in that position, he intensely sucked on it, and with relaxing his throat, took it even further. It gave him great pleasure hearing the loud moans vibrating through the body and into the room.  
  
His wet finger made its way into the crease, towards the tight closed hole, and began tracing over the ring, teasing it momentarily before roughly pushing through with just its tip.  
  
  
"Ah, Asami…  I can't… I'm going to…" Akihito's cry hitched from the minor intrusion, which felt like so much more. Every muscle in his body was contracting furiously.  
  
  
The boy reacted exceptionally to his indulgence. Asami swallowed the profusely flowing precum, sensing the climax approaching. Before Akihito could push for a strong friction, he pulled away, clamping the oncoming spur with his thumb and forefinger at the base.  
  
  
"No… Dooon'ttttt…" Akihito mewled out loudly, his teeth clenched as he nearly collapsed on top of the man's head. He knew exactly what Asami was up to.  
  
  
Asami only smiled smugly with his wet lips, as he look up deviously. Golden eyes held the hazel ones entranced, as he began to push his index finger further up into the snug clenching hole. Slowly driving it deeper, knowing precisely what to look for.  
  
Akihito instantly snapped his head back, as it pricked the magnifying spot of pleasure unexpectedly, causing a surge to go through his entire being with no capable release. A full hand tightened its grip on his cock, restraining him even further from trying to.  
  
"Nngh… Ugh…"  
  
He growled in pain, panting from the unbearable frustration, and after a moment of deep husky breaths, the motion managed to subside, with the urge strongly humming somewhere in his lower back. The constraint on him was steadily released, with the digit slowly being pulled out, too. He exhaled with reluctant ease, disappointed of being left on the very edge.  
  
  
Asami pulled on the chain lightly, allowing his lover to finally lower himself. As the boy slowly came down, his tongue ran across the stomach, navel and abs, making a wet trail to one of the small erect nubs. His lips latched onto it, as his arms wound around the boy's back, one hand gripping the collar from behind, the other arm tightened around the lower back. Putting some power into it, he cruelly kept the young man in place against him, as the boy sat there on his knees, splayed wide open across his well-toned stomach. Akihito's member twitched angrily between them.  
  
It turned him on uncontrollably, and he sucked on the nibble roughly, his rugged tongue tracing circle after circle with its tip. Until his teeth clipped onto it harshly, more than once, enough to a point of drawing blood. Akihito struggled against him, screaming from the sharp pain that transpired. Asami only held onto the collar with more strength. He usually didn't bite this hard, but this time he just really wanted to so badly. The young man would never comprehend all the things he really wanted to do.  
  
"Owww… Asami… _**LET GO!!!**_ " the young voice was hoarse and panicked, as small fists pounded into his shoulders.  
  
Even so, he continued to suck on it even more forcibly, neglecting the effort that was given against him. Turning the flesh around it to a deep shade of crimson, bringing it to the point of numbness sinking into it. He knew the pain of it would last as a reminder for the next couple of days. Finally pulling away just enough, he glanced up at very flushed face. The young man was panting hard, his glaring eyes red from small tears that ran down his cheek. There was a flare of anger, as Akihito tried to cover up his fear behind it.  
  
Asami only returned him a cold look, and tugged on the collar, pulling Akihito further down, making him crawl backwards. Allowing the other to drop his hands to the mattress, and placing the boy in a bent over position, leaving him hovering over his torso. He smirked at the thought of almost having a large crouching cat on top of him.  
  
But once he had come face to face with his lover, he tugged on the collar. Snatching the thin lips that looked like they were chewed on, as a drop of red had seeped out. Kissing Akihito tenderly, waves of heat escaped between the both of them, as they took each other's breath away. Asami drove his tongue through the hot lips. Drawing and sometimes tugging with his teeth at the flesh that battled constantly for its own control. The taste of blood mingled from the cut, along with the essence of his lover.  
  
They both pulled apart from one another, panting for deep uneven breaths that didn't seem to be there. Asami pushed Akihito back a touch by the shoulder, and then released the collar. Readjusting himself, he pulled himself up into a sitting position and leaned comfortably against the pillow.  
  
  
Akihito didn't move, his limbs were trembling all over, bound up by strong desires. Spasms and throbbing aches thrummed throughout him from the various insinuated sensations. His hazel eyes peered up into the leering golden ones, trying to read the next step, until they began to reflected a lustful hunger again as they gazed back at him.  
  
  
Asami reached out and cupped the boy's chin. His fingers wrapped around the jaw, as the vibration of a hard swallow ran through his palm and he grinned.  
  
"Now you're going to give me something in return.", he whispered huskily.  
  
His eyes directed the other with enthusiasm, down to his hardened member that was still covered by the black fabric.  
  
"You better not bite…". He warned darkly.  
  
  
Akihito blushed furiously, biting his lip at the request. He was hesitant for a moment, keeping his eyes still before they turned a little mischievous as they were locked with the man's. Staying on his trembling knees, his small hands slowly skimmed against the firm sides, stopping at the waistband. Thin fingertips dug underneath the black flexible strip, and dreadfully slow slid the briefs off to about halfway down the muscular thighs.  
  
  
The friction was agonizing for Asami, as he kept his moan bottled up, hiding it from the boy.  
  
"Akihito..." It was spoken through clenched teeth as a seething warning.  
  
His grip tightened on the jaw, and he forcefully lowered the young man down to beginning what he was deemed to do. He felt the hesitation from Akihito, as the warm soft breath feathered upon his skin, before the wet tongue finally began to lightly trace against the stretch of his length.  
  
Sighing out a gusty breath, he managed to loosened his hold after a minute. Sliding his palm under the pulsing neck, sensing the muscles go taut, then trailed around its side, eventually letting his hand rest on the back of the boy's damp hair. His fingers began to play with the moistened strands. The slick tongue continually lapped against his throbbing erection, making it jerk persistently. Till those smooth lips obtained the tip, and Akihito's tongue danced over it with a quick swirling motions.  
  
He threw his head back, sinking in relaxation against the cushion, his legs spreading further apart, giving the young man more access. Every muscle in his body was sparked with combusting vibes of pleasure. Heat transpired faster through him, and he grunted lowly deep in his throat, taking in a ragged breath as Akihito engulfed him further. Drawing him in really slowly, adjusting to his size and cautiously proceeded going down on him. His cock pulsed in excitement, swelling at a rapid pace.  
  
  
Akihito gently moaned, keeping himself up on all fours. The blood had rushed to his head all at once, making him dizzy and caused his cheeks to burn even more. He had somehow become more engrossed in his motions, his tongue pushing roughly against the vibrant veins, as he swallowed the flesh as deep as he possibly could. Tasting the salty liquid leaking out in small drops and mixing with his own sweet tastes. His shaky fingers dug into the sheets firmly, keeping control of the momentum. He desperately wanted to touch himself, feeling his member furiously pulsing for attention, yearning for a hard friction. An abrupt minor upward jolt from Asami sent his heart leaping in his chest, making him tense into a bundle of nerves. It only indicated to him that he should be taking the man furthermore, just he couldn't.  
  
  
Asami's grip around the neck had already tightened moments before, and he felt Akihito shiver under his hold, as a rash of goosebumps and perspiration spread across the skin of the young man's back. He was resisting the urge to thrust hard into the warm wet opening, he knew he could, almost did. But Akihito had been behaving so well for him so far, and he didn't want to compromise the trust.  
  
Yet, he was craving something more, and it crossed his foggy mind of how to make things more stimulating. As the young man continued his slow sensual ministrations, Asami suddenly grabbed both of the thin wrists at his sides, forcefully pulling them off the mattress, and directed them towards the back.  
  
  
Akihito went rigged in that sudden moment, shocked and almost losing his balance, which he vaguely regained. He stopped all his actions immediately, leaving the tip in his mouth, afraid of the thick member suddenly going back too far.  
  
His breathing hitched, as muscles in his thighs and knees shook painfully. He wondered what the man was up to, knowing he shouldn't disobey. His slender arms were stretched out towards his rear, his palms placed upon his round ass. He still refused to make a move, hesitant, his mouth slipped a little, as slick saliva trickled out of his mouth and down the long hot shaft. His cheeks were burning fiercely, and his eyes began to water up persistently. He breathed roughly through his nose, just to keep himself calm by all means. His strength was diminished a lot faster in this new changed posture, though he heard Asami sigh annoyingly above him, as if he disapproved of something.  
  
A sweaty palm returned under his chin, holding him in place. As the other one wrapped around his inner thigh and tugged on it. Asami was repositioning him, and he slowly accommodated the man, uncomfortably. Moving on his knees over one of the muscular legs, and then the other, till he was nudged closely to the man's left side, near the wall. The large hand pushed his backside down a little, and he set his knees slightly apart, settling down lower on them. Fingers groped into his right ass cheek, adding a sharp pinch to it. He almost squealed as his body shuddered violently in reaction.  
  
The man gave him a single order.  
  
"Spread them wide…" in a deep husky voice.  
  
Just from hearing those words, goose bumps sprang down his spine and arms as his skin flushed completely to a different shade. His body was set afire and he couldn't pinpoint from what. If it was the way Asami was making him submit, the sound of the man's voice, itself, the hot pulsing flesh that he still held delicately in his mouth or that large sweaty palm that was slowly gliding down his spine, suddenly. His heart raced madly, its sound echoing in his ears, while he honestly did as he was told.  
  
He spread his legs even further apart, holding his balance was entirely difficult now, even with the strong hand that was supporting him from underneath didn't help much. He huffed for large amounts of air through his mouth and around the flesh, hearing a gruff gasp from above. His fingertips began to crawl into his plump flesh and into the fold, pulling at it. Akihito instantly felt the stretch of his skin around his entrance and gasped, as he parted his cheeks as much as he could for the older man.  
  
Asami seemed to lean slightly towards the left side, the man's member slid further into his mouth along with the movement. Akihito suddenly heard a pop, as if something was snapped open. And shivered unintentionally, when large cool blobs of liquid trickled down his crease, over his pucker and trailed down his sac between his legs. Unexpectedly, two thick finger slid down the indent, and began to trace delicately over his tight ring of muscles, once more, this time spreading the lube around.  
  
"Akihito… I don't feel your tongue doing its job.", the words were muttered into the hazy air.  
  
Akihito tensed and quivered from the man's deep tone. He swallowed the air that got stuck in his throat from anticipation of what was happening, and swirled his tongue around the thick tip. Bobbing his head slowly, trying to find the pace he was in from before, as the distractions of the fingers cluttered his mind set, making his heart pound vigorously. He sensed Asami getting lost in the alluring sensation of it once more, though without warning a finger abruptly punctured through his snug hole, slowly going in deep, just like before.  
  
  
The young man moaned throatily, sending soft vibrations through his erection, making him even more rigid. His digit pressed deeper into the hot cavern, making circles against the inside walls, running his finger into the bundles of nerves. Causing the other to groan loudly, the voice resonating down his cock.  
  
  
"Let's see how far you can take me… Make sure to keep your hands where they are...", the whisper felt dark and teasing in Akihito's ears, like he was in the clutches of the devil's hands.  
  
The palm that was aiding him had slithered away, giving him a small surge of panic. His body was strung up with tension of keeping himself up on his knees, the muscles in his abs aching from constantly cramping to keep him in a stable position and proceeding with the blow job. The dense finger pulled out, only to continually tease his rim, and then in return two slowly penetrated through, worming their way in. It caused him to wither and cringe underneath the man. The burning sensation spread like a lightning spark of electricity had run through his body. His abs and rear end tightened powerfully and he was feeling so close to release, again.  
  
Keeping his groans low in his throat, he fell inches down on the erection. His mind blanked, and became frantic from his gag reflex. He had never taken Asami this far before, and now his thoughts drove him to dread of what would happen. It had gone too far for his liking, and it began to scare him. His heart hammered in his ears, as he tired to swallow air around the obstruction without choking.  
  
A sweaty hand returned to his face, sweeping over his left tear-stained cheek, which felt sweltering. Then went further into the back, as fingers spread behind his ear, carding through his hair, gesturing for him to calm down. He guessed the man could sense ever wave of quiver pass through his limbs. For about a minute or two, they stayed liked that, as he tried to find his confidence again to continue. Clutching and digging his nails into the skin of his buttocks, he slowly began to wrap his tongue very gently over the thickness.  
  
  
Asami watched Akihito from above through hooded eyes, running his fingers through the soft damp hair while his other fingers kept a firm grip deep inside the tight, clenching hole. When the boy's tongue moved with more pressure against him, he felt his mind go into a haze. He groaned inwardly, his body glistening with dewdrops of sweat. The way his lover's mouth held him, set him ablaze all over again. He twisted his fingers deep into the passage, trying to find the sweet spot, and hitting it roughly the moment he did.  
  
  
Akihito jerked, and groaned loudly deep down in his throat, even if it was muffled the man most likely heard it very well. His energy was diminishing and he couldn't hold himself up anymore in the position. Causing him to slip, his mouth sinking all the way down to the end, with the thick twitching tip hitting the back of his throat. The involuntary tremor of alarm sprang throughout his body, his eyes widened, as he brought his hands down quickly onto any surface, trying to push himself away from the sense of gagging and suffocation. Yet, he couldn't bring himself up.  
  
A large hand had a stern grip over the back of his neck and head, keeping him fully impaled on it.  
  
" Nnghhh… Nnghhh…" he screamed inwardly.  
  
Akihito began to fling, pounding his fists against the mattress, the man's thigh or side, struggling to breathe, as hot tears fled his eyes. It was all to no avail of getting released from Asami's grasp.  
  
"Akihito… just relax… relax your throat… and it won't feel so terrifying…" the voice uttered in a deep controlled calmness.  
  
The palm kept its firm hold, as fingers spread roughly through his hair, their tips doing the same circular motion over and over. Trying to sooth the fear out of him slowly, and it took a good hard moment for him to settle down. Inhaling deeply through his nose, expanding his chest, no matter how often the urge of choking resurfaced, he somehow tried to find a way to subside it and managed to calm his beating heart and hysteria. The worst feeling of it all eventually began to ebb away, and he reluctantly tried again.  
  
  
Asami watched the boy, and a grin spread on his face. He bit into his lower lip with satisfaction, as the motion began. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he got lost once more in the sublime pleasure. The hot lips and sweltering throat submerged him into an incredible heat of passion. His hold finally loosened on the neck, letting his fingers rake the pale glistening shoulders and up the bumpy valley of the spine, absorbing the heat and vibes of the soft skin. The boy had passed the crucial point and continued to suck him off more determinedly. Becoming more committed with each stroke of the rough grind of the tongue, each time tightening the lips that ran up and down his shaft, swiftly picking up in pace.  
  
Peering down, he remembered those small hands should have been somewhere else, instead one kept twisting inside the silky sheets for self-control, while the other held on tightly to his hip. Asami let the thought go, twisting his fingers roughly in the tight hole again, earning himself another deep moan from down below.  
  
The boy was taking him fully, each passing second that he was swallowed up almost took his breath away, as if Akihito was starting to gain command over him entirely. Bringing him to the edge of pure bliss, just he couldn't have that just yet, even though he was almost there. Pulling out his fingers once more, without thinking much he drove three through the entrance in one swift move, driving them right towards the prostate.  
  
The young man quivered vigorously underneath his hand, a muffled cry made an outburst through the back of the airway. Asami ran his hand underneath the chin, and pulled up, bringing the delicate red glowing face up slowly.  
  
"You've done good…" Asami breathed out. Brushing his lips over the damp searing forehead, running them along with the dripping sweat beads down the nose to the slicked up lips that had traces of his essence spread all over them.  
  
_I want him… I need him…_  
  
Asami claimed the mouth with all he had, the scorching heat escaping in between their random gasps of air. His composure was lost to his slender lover. He couldn't hold back any longer.  
  
Pulling his fingers out, briskly he unfastened the chain from the choker. Breaking from their kiss, he harshly grabbed the boy by the upper arms and using his upper body's momentum, threw Akihito over to the middle of the bed. He rolled along with him, pinning the young man on his back and into cushioned sheets, as he crawled right on top of him. Bringing his lips back down quickly onto the swollen mouth, he kissed it mercilessly, this time willing not to break apart from it. Asami wanted to take every single breath away from Akihito. He slid his moist palms over the thin thighs, spreading the scrawny legs far apart, as he made room for himself in-between.  
  
Preoccupying himself with the overwhelming passionate kiss, he tugged on the boy's hips, forcibly bring the rump close and using his hand, guided himself to the place he wanted to be in. Thrusting in deeply, in one jarring movement, that set every nerve in him ablaze. His luscious lips swallowed up the loud cry from below, while he let the adjustment slightly settle in. His arms wound around the lean back, one snaking low around the waist, while the other held on tightly to the nape, and he began to rock his hips, vigorously.  
  
  
Akihito instinctually bound his hands around the muscular neck, and wrapped his legs around the sturdy waist. Holding on ever so tightly, while the rest of his body rode out the shuddering waves, feeling like he would melt into his lover. Wet lips kissed him on his feverish cheek, trailing down to his ear. The gentle whispers of ' _I love you's_ ' made their way into him, and he yearned to hear those words over and over again for eternity.  
  
The hard pounding force kept driving him to the verge of glorious delight. Those heated lips kept their dance on his skin, sucking, nibbling, grazing and tucking on his flushed neck and nape. His voice got lost in an overwhelming moment of heightened moans. Every thought in his mind had escaped long ago. All he knew were his breathless escaping whispers, incoherently asking the man to go ' _harder_ ' and ' _deeper_ ', urging Asami to finally send him over.  
  
The haze of the climate between them seemed like he was in the steamy tropics, lying on a sunny beach side. Everything before his eyes began to sparkle and spin around the one he loved. His whimpers and murmurs reverberated through the air.  
  
"Asami… it's so good… I can't hold on… _please_ …" he finally managed to utter between gasps.  
  
It was the only indication that he was close, way too close. He felt a grin against his florid skin, and the sharp teeth sunk into his neck, tugging gently on his flesh. Asami kept determinedly plunging into him, ignoring his words, as if the man wanted him to go insane with the assorted slices of stimulation. Akihito's breathing got to the point of short gasping cries, his nails began to dig into the thick muscular skin. He couldn't hold out anymore to this overpowering pleasure. His body was driven over to the rim of falling into the mist of heady lightness, all he could do was buck up strongly to meet the man's powerful demand. His voice began to beg once more, as the rest of him trembled in the other's arms.  
  
" _Pleeease… oh pleeease… Asami_ " he whimpered desperately.  
  
  
Asami felt his lover's beautiful form asking for more, as it jerked relentlessly in his arms. He, himself, was trying to stay afloat in their heated moment, hating the fact he had to bring it all to an end. Those sweet whispers kept ringing in his ears, pleading sincerely. Caving in, he released his hold on the waist, and his hand quickly slithered between their bodies, down past the navel to the other's straining cock.  
  
His lover took in a deep wheeze of air the minute his thumb swept over the pulsing veins, as he wrapped his hand around it. Their bodies continually glided, sliding against one another to a burning caress across their skins. Asami began to squeeze and pump the rigid throbbing erection, which was slowly oozing in his hand, as he brought it to the point of close eruption. Gripping the sandy locks to get better access under the neck, he brought his juicy lips under the jawbone.  
  
Licking and nibbling the fiery skin that seemed to scorch his tongue, while he pulled himself out of the hot passage, leaving just enough of the tip in the rim of the clenching entrance. His finger on the swollen dome, ready to run over the slit any moment. He paused for just an excruciating second, feeling the boy's airway gulp for rapid gasps of oxygen against his lips.  
  
Asami's eyes gleamed with passion, perceiving his lover's dismay, quivering under him in the abrupt pause, and waiting. And as it was less than excepted, Asami propelled himself deeply right to the hilt, hitting that marvelous spot, simultaneously running his thumb roughly into the sensitive slit. It was enough to make his lover reach his peak.  
  
"AHHH… _**RYUICHI!**_ ", screaming out his name breathlessly into the quiet night.  
  
The graceful body convulsed in waves of out-bursting pleasure underneath him, gushing a hot stream against his stomach, while he felt the tightening grip around his own cock. Which drove him instantly to a strong release of his own, sensing it thickly spurting, as all his limbs jerked and quivered intensely. He saw the small stars float across his vision, keeping his shaky grunt held against the ruddy skin that had been marked so many times by him. Breathing in deeply that sweet honey scent, his tongue ran across the neck, collecting the small drops of salty dew.  
  
His hand set free the strands of hair, liberating the motionless form below him. Akihito had surpassed into his own realm quite quickly, the arms still wound tightly around his neck along with the legs around his waist. The soft breathing was leveling out slowly, sounding so serene to him. His own body resonated with the vibration of their love, that he had to lie down upon the small form for a bit, staying safe in its embrace.  
  
He lay there, slowly relaxing, while listening to the soft swish of air around him. It took him a good while before he could make any sudden movement. Once he did regain a small surge of energy, he gently unraveled the thin limbs behind him, and pulled himself out from his lover and its warmth. Asami hovered shakily over the young man, holding himself up on one arm, while using the other hand to carefully removed the choker from the thin neck, and quickly tossed it aside. His eyes caught the light reddened band on the skin. In the end he wound up being too rough on the boy, but he knew all would be forgiven, as well.  
  
Straightening out, he stretched out his back and arms while on his knees. Asami shrugged out of his damp shirt and used it to clean up the sticky residue off his abs, as well as Akihito's stomach. He threw it to the floor afterwards, along with his briefs that had lingered around one of his ankles. Weakly, he scooped up the sleeping form, and repositioned it back properly to the usual side of the bed for the remainder of their night. Vaguely, glancing over the room for anything amiss, and when it was not, he slowly slid down on his side right next to Akihito. Reaching over the form, he switched off the lamp, and settled down into the comfort of the pillow. Pulling the dirtied silky covers over the both of them, and gathered his lover with his arm, trying to keep him as close as possible to his body.  
  
Akihito unconsciously turned towards him and snuggled up close to his chest, sighing deeply with content, like he was filled with pure bliss. Asami closed his eyes, smiling with satisfaction, as he weaved his fingers lightly into the wet sandy strands, once more. The soft breathing from the boy luring him slowly into a deep state of sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Akihito felt extremely hot, too hot for his own good, that it almost made him feel unwell.  
  
_Something…  feels wrong…_  
  
Still half asleep, he kept his eyes shut as he heard the slow heartbeat reverberating in his ear, knowing he was with his lover.  
  
"Asami...” he whispered, nudging the man lightly in the side with his hand,  
“You're burning up… Do you have a fever or something?", he mumbled.  
  
It almost sounded like a joke to him. Asami never got sick, and he furrowed his brows at the thought. No response ever came back.  
  
The whiff in the air seemed odd to him all of a sudden. His eyes slipped open a touch, and widened, as his head abruptly shot up from it's resting place.  
  
Akihito quickly surveyed the area he found himself in. It was the back seats of a luxurious vehicle, the atmosphere around him vaguely foggy. Looking over to his right side, he found himself on top of Asami's chest. The man was slumped over in the seat, partially leaning against the side window and door. Akihito glanced up at the man's face. He was completely unconscious, as a trail of blood slid down the right side from a cut above the brow. The drops slowly dripped, and were absorbed into the shoulder of the man's suit, revealing a large dark blotch.  
  
A wave of terror engulfed him swiftly, blinding all of his senses at once.  
  
_What's going on?  
  
How?_

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story 
> 
>  
> 
> **Some time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> 

 

Ever particle in his muscles prickled with heavy dread, as he lay there against the warm body. He was frozen on the other hand, as his eyes skimmed quickly from side to side, trying to grasp the scene. The panic began to sink in full blast, and his breathing escalated.  
  
The atmosphere around him felt too hot, the air too stuffy and hazy. He was unsure what was going on, what had happened, and how it even turned out to be this way.  
  
Searching his mind hard, he desperately wanted to recall anything that led to it. He remembered being uncomfortable in the car during the ride, however his last memory was being with Asami. _In bed._ Being made love to intensely by the man, who was demanding of him and prolonging their sensual act before they reached their powerful climax.  
  
 _How did…  we end up here?_  
  
He shuddered off the awful instinct, which crept into his heart, the sickening sensation crawling up his throat. Instantly, he lifted himself off of Asami's side and turned towards the man, roughly shaking him with trembling hands against the chest.  
  
"Asami… Wake up!!!" he shouted, his voice sounding too high pitched even for him.  
  
Pushing harder against the man, only to get no response from the other, not even a small grunt. He hastily leaned forward, placing his ear over the man's heart, just to be sure he had heard it, and received soft thumps back. Akihito sighed slightly in relief as he straighten up again, his hands clutching harshly onto the lapel of the suit. He shakily reach out for the man's face, brushing over the other's cheek, as blood smeared onto his fingertips. His fingers moved towards the wound, pressing lightly on it. Asami still didn't react, and his lips quivered with concern, till he tightened them.  
  
His gaze shifted behind him, to the front of the car, and everything stiffened inside him. The feeling in his stomach twisted into a tight knot.  
  
There was smoke billowing from the front of the hood, he could see it a bit crushed in. His eyes suddenly widened, he didn't know why he hadn't picked up on it earlier. His mind had fogged, too overwhelmed by the situation. The scent in the air made him more aware of the accident, with the heavy intoxication of gasoline, a hint of blood and something else that stirred around him.  
  
He realized the nausea was mostly caused by it too, probably what was making him feel sick along with the rise of his rioting emotions.  
  
 _How long have we been trapped in here???  
  
Hasn't anyone come to help?_  
  
The unanswered questions flooded his somewhat alert mind.  
  
Squinting his eyes to get rid of the blurriness that ran over them, he pushed himself staggeringly off the man and shifted his weight towards the middle of the car. Looking over the half opened partition, he noticed Asami's driver slumped over in his seat, also unconscious, and unsure of the injuries he had sustained. It looked like the other had hit the side of the window, though the airbag had originally deployed and now sagged from the steering wheel.  
  
The side door seemed to be dented in, like something crashed directly into it. Akihito cringed in confusion, the dim light flickered inside the car as he eyed the interior around him, noticing the rest still fully intact.  
  
 _Was the impact so severe…  it just knock us all out?…_  
  
 _No… that couldn't only be it…_  
  
He fell back onto the back seat, the spell of dizziness consuming him faster now.  
  
 _I have to find a way out of here…_  
  
His hazel eyes traced over the details, acknowledging it was definitely one of Asami's cars, though not the usual large limo. This car was still filled with its luxurious style and spacious comfort, the seats made out of soft leather and a partition in the middle. Looking over the windows, each one had cracks scattering through them, but none of them were initially shattered all the way through.  
  
 _Is it bullet resistant glass?_  
  
They were surrounded by darkness, except for a faint glow from somewhere up above. He was unable to tell what was outside from any direction.  
  
 _Nighttime?…  Are we on an abandoned street?… or somewhere else?…_  
  
But that wasn't what disturbed him, it was the ominous hissing sound that hit his ears that he didn't hear before. It was coming from somewhere, sounding like a burst pipe of air.  
  
 _The car engine?… tires?… Ugh… it's starting to get harder for me to think…_  
  
He tried to fight the heaviness that was pushing down on his mind, his body drugged on the vapors.  
  
Once more, he turned towards his lover and attempted to arouse him, only to no avail. Hanging on to the jacket in his fists, he breathed strenuously, holding back his tears, as the anger drove into him. In the corner of his eye a spark of light caught his attention, and he began to gasp for air. The panic in him released in full force.  
  
" ** _Asami…  WAKE UP!!!_** ", he shouted at the top of his lungs, pounding at the man's chest hard.  
  
When that didn't work, he flung himself over the man trying to open the side door, so they could both slip out. Pulling on the handle and clicking its lock mechanism.  
  
 _No…  Open…  Please…_  
  
It wasn't working at all, the door wouldn't unlock, or even budge. Hastily, he shifted to his door, trying the same thing with no luck. Glancing quickly to the front again, the bursting flame grew brightly, rising higher than before.  
  
 _Damn… Damn!…_  
  
Leaning his back against the man for leverage, he gritted his teeth and began to kick at the door across from him with all his might, then at the window, which only scattered more thin cracks through it, but wouldn't shatter.  
  
 _Why won't it break?… They should at least…_  
  
Anything he tried was futile, and time was running out right before his eyes.  
  
Screaming in frustration. " **SOMEBODY, HELP!!!** "  
  
He sat up on his knees, staring out and huffing, feeling exhausted and in utter disbelief. It was like being trapped in a cage with no way out.  
  
"Why won't anything work?", he sobbed out.  
  
His eyes blurred, as drops of tears ran down his cheeks, and he turned towards his lover, his forehead dropping onto the man's hard shoulder in defeat. Suffocation threaded into him, as he anticipated the horrific demise. The hope he had in him had fled, diminishing inside him.  
  
 _This can't be ending like this?_  
  
Reaching across, he grabbed ahold of the man's large hand. A small chain fell out into his palm, and his eyes bewildered.  
  
 _Why does…  he have this?…_  
  
Nothing made any sense to him anymore. Looking back up over his lover's face, he wanted answers that wouldn't come. His eyes quickly shot back to the front windshield. Knowing it was all too late for them, that there were really no chances left. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he embraced Asami with all his might. Sensing the bright flash of light explode towards him, and engulfing him in a cloud of intense heat.  
  
  
  
  
  
" **NGHAAAAAHHH!!!** ", he screamed, jolting upright from the absurdly scorching sensation that enveloped him.  
  
All he saw was darkness around him again, while his hands traced swiftly through a soft surface and clutched into the strange fabric. He was panting laboriously, trying to swallow deep breaths of air, that wouldn't come his way. He choked, fighting for the oxygen to get through his tight throat and into his lungs, yet it seemed too thin.  
  
Something solidly warm quickly coiled around his back and left shoulder, pulling him, and cloaked him in warmth.  He wanted to pull away from it with all he got, the fear twisting in his gut and he shrieked out. The hold only tightened on him, as something rustled through his hair lightly.  
  
Heat feathered against his right ear, as whispers faintly fell into it.  
  
"Shhhh… calm down… you're safe… " the composed tone spoke out.  
  
The words came and went, fading in and out, over and over again. Akihito was shaking like a leaf, feeling the streaks of wet trails on his face. His body felt flushed in contrast to the moist cold sweat covering it. The warmth around him rocked a little, repeating the swaying motion and it slowly subdued the rugged ache in his pounding heart.  
  
His final deep breaths began to even out, but it didn't cure the raging emotions that tormented him within. The terror swelled up into a tight bubble in his chest, ready to burst any second. Yet, he kept the remaining pain of it to himself, not uttering another sound as he gaped out into the darkness.  
  
All of a sudden the warmth around him disappeared, and a dim light ignited throughout his vision. He gasped loudly, his eyes reflexed and he blinked a couple of times, clearing out the blurriness. He realized he was back in the bedroom, in a bed, with no signs of what he had seen moments ago.  
  
A touch swirled back into his damp hair near his ear, and diverted his spaced out gaze. Piercing gold eyes peered straight into his wild ones, most likely seeing his hidden reactions swim through them.  
  
A murmur broke the extreme silence that surrounded them, though his mind was still reliving that horrifying moment that stung through him. The man's voice sounded muffled and constantly restating something.  
  
"Akihito, _damn it,_ answer me.", Asami asked more urgently, " _ **Are**_ you all right?", as it finally got through to him, snapping him out.  
  
He slowly nodded, while his eyes had a completely different response and he dropped his gaze down to his hands that gripped the sheets.  
  
  
Asami sighed a little uncertain, as he swept his fingers over the wet cheek, noticing it radiating with extreme heat.  
  
"God, you've burned up… Are you sure you're not catching a cold?", he asked more softly now.  
  
The boy just shook his head vigorously in a 'no'. Asami placed a soft kiss on the perspired forehead, and Akihito quickly leaned into the security of his palm like he'd done before.  
  
 _Was it a fevered dream?…  
  
This is already the third time that something had disturbed his sleep…  
  
What is going on with him?_  
  
  
Akihito eased a little, he didn't know what to say, his throat had also run dry. He wanted water, however didn't want to bother for it now, needing this embrace to keep him grounded. Being fond of the small moment, where he knew the other was thoughtful of his well-being.  
  
The nightmare had shook him up to the core, but it made him wonder if it was a nightmare after all. His eyes wandered through the room, eyeing its objects carefully around him. He'd never felt something so realistic like that come from his mind. He trembled from the scenario, trying to convince himself otherwise.  
  
 _It shouldn't hurt me… but somehow I can't stop shaking._  
  
His head fell onto the broad shoulder heavily, as a comforting caresses ran up and down his arm. He finally sigh out in relief, as Asami kept him close, and the silence was broken once more.  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't knock me out with your flinging fists.", the man voiced sarcastically, and he could tell there was a smirk across the other's lips.  
  
His hazel eyes shot up, narrowing at the remark, he didn't liking being made fun for this. But it was Asami after all and his way of soothing out the atmosphere, showing that he really did care.  
  
"It was just… just a really bad dream..." he muttered back. _A disastrous nightmare…_  
  
And slid out of the embrace, flopping back down onto his side into the mattress, while pulling one of the pillows to cushion his head and neck. He curled himself up towards his lover, his mind still wide-awake, yet his body called for desperate needed rest. The two elements fought out to topple over one another. Akihito mulled over it for another second and decided to shut his eyes, tightly.  
  
 _Nightmares can't hurt me…_ Trying to place his mind willfully at ease and away from the dreadful vision.  
  
  
Asami slid back down on his side into the warm silk sheets and pillow, and propped his head up in his palm. Surveying over the boy who cuddled up next to his bare chest. His brows furrowed, wondering what really stressed out the young man. He could see it in the other's eyes, something wasn't right, and Akihito was trying hard to hide it. His hand brushed through the mop of hair, gently, hearing the sound of evened out breathing that sent warm breezes against his skin.  
  
 _This must have been the first time I've seen him fight in his sleep…  
  
What did he see that scared him so much?…_  
  
After about five minutes it got really quiet between them, with only the softness of their breaths. Since Akihito had calmed down, he decided to finally reach over to switch the lamp off and stopped short of it , looking down at the peaceful form. A fleeting thought of the incident recurring crossed him, and he didn't want to disturb the comfort they were in. So instead he just settled down on his arm, making himself comfortable and finally closed his eyes.  
  
  
  
"Ryuichi…"  
  
His name was softly whispered, catching his attention mildly a little while later.  
  
He only responded with a "Hmm… ", as sleep was nearly dragging him away.  
  
"Please…  be careful from now on… " the words drifted on a soft murmur.  
  
His golden eyes shot open, and he raised himself up a little, gazing down at his lover below, who had instantly left him.  
  
 _Those were his exact words from before…_  
  
He wasn't sure how to take it, but the message showed itself clearly. He knew it was a warning from deep within, and danger was approaching his way somehow.  
  
 _The boy wouldn't be mentioning it otherwise._  
  
Nevertheless, he also knew he couldn't put his life and everything in it on hold. That would only show his weakness against whoever was trying to get to him or his territory. He gritted his teeth, as many circumstances ran through his mind. It wasn't the first time someone had been after him, but those times didn't come with an omen from _beyond._  
  
He gazed upon the delicate features of his lover, as a sense of regret washed over him.  
  
 _You know I can't promise you anything._  
  
A slender arm slid onto his waist, and in return he wrapped his arm around the small shoulders, pulling the boy closer to him. Resting now was going to be impossible for him, as he leaned in and kissed the boy's temple gently.  
  
"I love you…", he breathed out his assurance into the silky strands.  
  
A soft whimper was returned, making him hide his smile knowing he was still heard. Laying his head back down onto his arm, he tucked the boy's head underneath his chin. Letting the faint glow spill into the room for the rest of the night, while he tried to close his eyes to the rest of the world once more. With the hope that nothing would go wrong.  
  
  
  
  
Barely awake, Akihito patted along the sheets, his slender fingers tracing through the linens. He tried to find the warmth that resonated by his side all night long. Though, no matter how much they searched, the space was left empty and cool. A faint scent of a musky cologne and tobacco filled the air, yet the atmosphere was really quiet.  
  
 _Where is he??_  
  
His eye cracked open, refocusing to the pillow next to him. On there was a small slip of paper instead of the man himself.  
  
 _He left me!…_  
  
Grabbing the scrap off the soft surface, he read it quickly, and then reread it again to be certain.  
  
 _Akihito.  
I'll be gone for a week, you can remain in the penthouse as long as you wish to.  
  
And please, stay out of trouble.  
  
-Ryuichi_  
  
Akihito scratched his head through his disarranged hair.  
  
 _Why didn't he tell me last night… and here he goes off without even as much of a good bye…_  
  
Looking across at the opposite nightstand, there was still a simmer of smoke coming from the cigarette in the ashtray. It hinted to him that Asami just left a few minutes ago. Akihito sprinted out of the bed, and nearly fell to the floor. Stumbling on his feet, he leaned against the nightstand groaning in pain from the abrupt motion. His back and abs spiked with an ache that ran through all his muscles, while his knee still throbbed from yesterday's mishap.  
  
Shaking off as much of the unwelcoming feeling as he could, his eyes scanned around for his pieces of attire. But stopped instantly of doing so.  
  
"Ugh…  gross…", he mumbled.  
  
This wasn't the way he wanted to wake up, either, feeling the warm wet trail run down his inner thigh from their nightly activity of lovemaking. He darted into the bathroom first, trying to wipe off the last traces with a wet towel, that the older man most likely couldn't get to. Doing the best he could, he tossed it aside, and burst back out of the small quarters.  
  
 _I have to catch him…_  
  
He had such an energetic rush of anger and excitement, though he wasn't sure how much time he had left. Scanning for his articles of clothing once more, he spotted them instantly by the foot of the bedside. Snatching his boxers from the floor which were still bundled up in his literally torn up jeans. He hopped around, trying to get his legs through them, while slowly making his way into the hallway. Tapping his pocket, making sure the item inside was still secure. It seemed the only thing the guard didn't seem to confiscate during his unconscious capture.  
  
 _He should be still in the building… maybe he'll head to the office first…_  
  
Akihito was barely fully dressed, neglecting to put on his shirt or shoes and lunged for the main door.  
  
Swinging the wooden panel open, he flew through the threshold only to crash into a strong chest. Startled for a second, he shook his head from the sudden shock. Strong hands held him by his shoulders, keeping him in place from falling back over into the living quarters. Looking up at the giant man, Akihito glared and yelled at him instead.  
  
"Where is he?" he asked urgently.  
  
  
Renji quickly let go of the loud photographer, and looked towards the elevator. Responding to the short question quietly.  
  
"You just missed him… by a few minutes or so."  
  
Before he could even stop the boy or say anything else, in a swift motion the kid shoved through him and dashed off towards the entry to the staircase. Renji ran his sturdy hand through his blond hair, he really never understood the brat that much. It made him wonder why Takaba was even so eager to find the man this time.  
  
 _Good luck catching him._ He thought while entering the penthouse.  
  
  
Akihito huffed in large amounts of air, jumping through the sets of stairs, sometimes two, or attempting three at a time. At the same time he bit his lip once in a while, through the small strands of pain that strained through his back and knee. He knew waiting for the elevator was going to be just a waste of time for him. His bare feet slapped against the hard concrete floor, trying to make it down the thirty impossible flights of stairs.  
  
 _I need to catch him before he goes…_  
  
He was about half way down the building, his feet burning through the ground. His speed never slowed down, his heart pumping with determination, persisting him to keep going. Passing another level, he spotted someone exiting the elevator through an open door. Taking a quick chance, he sprinted through it and down the hall, startling the passing bystander, as he briskly slipped through the slow closing door and into the elevator.  
  
Slamming into the back wall, he inhaled desperate deep breaths and punched the 'ground' button. Gradually, he calmed down inside the tin box, however his patience was very low. The adrenaline was running thick through his veins, as his foot kept tapping on the carpeted floor, getting ready to run again.  
  
 _Come on, almost there. Just three more floors…_  
  
When the door slowly slid open, it nearly annoyed him. He burst through the opening, and ran through the lobby in less than five seconds. His body moving in hyper motion, determination growing more with the hope flourishing along with it. Everyone eyed him, as he passed by half dressed and darted through the main entrance door.  
  
Once in the afternoon light, Akihito quickly squinted, readjusting to its brightness. His eyes scanning left and right rapidly.  
  
 _Where?… where?…_  
  
Not being able to spot what he was looking for out front, he scurried towards the left. Remembering the underground garage passage was located somewhere in that facility. He sped up his pace, even though he was heaving on burning gasps of breaths now.  
  
 _Its somewhere around here… If I remember correctly._  
  
Turning into the corner around the building, he ran onto the driveway and froze stiffly in a mere second. His blood ran nearly cold as the sound of squealing tires stopped a foot away in front of his knees. His eyes stared widely at the driver, who in turn had a gravely shocked expression on his face, that turned into frustration within seconds. Hastily, the man got out of the black car.  
  
  
"Are you **_trying_** to kill yourself, Takaba-san?" he yelled at the photographer in annoyance. Izumi was infuriated by the close mishap of the boy's carelessness _again_. Even he couldn't get rid of the shudder running through him. Asami would never forgive him this time.  
  
  
Once the adrenaline entirely flooded out of Akihito, he felt a wave of weakness rush through him. His stomach turned for a moment.  
  
"I'm sorry…", he stuttered through a held breath, and then took in a big gasp.  
  
"I just didn't want him to leave yet…" he cried out loudly, hoping Asami would hear him.  
  
Izumi glared at him, then turned towards the rear of the car, though the door had already swung open.  
  
  
Asami had stayed inside, but upon hearing the small commotion, he didn't bother to wait for his subordinate to come. Stepping out of the car and into the afternoon brisk air, his stern look went directly to Akihito.  
  
The boy backed up a little instinctively, his chest heaving, showing signs of breathlessness from the excruciating rush of getting down from the top floor. The pale upper body glistened, sporting some of his angry love bites along with the recent injury, as it was exposed to the highlights of the afternoon rays. Asami's eyes trailed down to the pavement, and he was surprised to see the other had no shoes on, either. Making him more aware the other was in a big hurry to get to him.  
  
Asami strode calmly towards Akihito, passing Izumi.  
  
"That was a little too close, don't you think…", he muttered lowly to his subordinate.  
  
Izumi stiffened momentarily at the remark, however gave no response while his boss continued forward.  
  
  
Asami's gaze never left Akihito, while he enclosed the distance between them. His golden eyes trapped the spirited hazel ones, while a smirk formed on his lips.  
  
"What made you jump out of bed so fast?" he remarked. He couldn't help but tease the boy after the small incident.  
  
Akihito's ears picked up on the sarcasm, but his eyes had already flared up with its usual fire. He clenched his fists together out of reflex.  
  
" _ **YOU…**_ ", he raised his voice at the man, " Don't you know that _notes_ just don't cut it for me anymore?", almost sounding like a spoiled brat with that response.  
  
Asami waited, wondering what else the spit fired young man was going throw at him.  
  
"That's kind of new… I'll keep that in mind for next time…" he retorted coolly.  
  
He wasn't sure what got into the photographer suddenly, he's always left him notes before taking his leave. This time something was definitely different. Akihito's expression suddenly took a change, his anger slowly dissipating in the hazel eyes.  
  
Akihito threw himself into the man's chest, wrapping his arms tightly around the waist.  
  
"You should have at least woken me up and gave me a proper farewell. _Especially_ since you will be gone for so long." Akihito uttered into the shirt.  
  
  
Asami smiled, and embraced him back.  
  
"A week isn't that long." he quietly replied.  
  
Feeling the fragile body tense in his arms, and suddenly the slim arms unraveled and pushed him away. Akihito was glaring daggers at him again. Asami couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, if he had time he would have taken the boy back upstairs and ravished him once more. However, business came first this time around.  
  
"I really have to get going, I'll see you in six days at most, if things go well." He patted the sandy hair, trying to calm the other down.  
  
  
Akihito got annoyed, and quickly dug his hand into his pocket, fingertips searching for the certain object.  
  
  
Asami stepped away and was about to turn away, however Akihito's grasp on his arm stopped him. The slender hand slipped down to his sturdy one, tugging at it towards himself. Asami eyed him in confusion. Watching the boy open up his hand, palm face up, as the other small one placed something upon it.  
  
Asami glanced from the hazel eyes to the linking pieces of gold. The short thick chain was gracefully entwined, and sparkled in the bright sunlight. Glancing at the boy once more, who was now fully beet red in the cheeks.  
  
"What is this?" he asked directly, his eyes questioning its intent.  
  
  
Akihito gazed away for a second, feeling his bashfulness give off. He never gave the man anything before. Biting his lip, he braced himself.  
  
"It's a bracelet, something I want you to have… ", he spitted out hastily, seeing the man arch his eyebrow quizzically.  
  
"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to… Just… Just have it on you.", he blurt out and smiled shyly, giving his bleak explanation. The sense of nervousness ran through his entire body.  
  
The man closed his palm tightly instead, and swung his free arm around his lean waist. Pulling him in close, and embracing him into a sudden deep kiss. The way Asami drove his tongue through his thin lips, made Akihito moan and nearly melt in the strong arms.  
  
Once they pulled apart, "Now I think… that is a proper goodbye." Akihito rasped out.  
  
  
Asami grinned holding the boy, as his lips brushed against Akihito's forehead.  
  
"Thank you for the gift… ", he whispered against the hot skin. He took a deep breath, not really wanting to let go even though he had to.  
  
"I have to go. You should go back, before you catch a cold.", he uttered quietly.  
  
The photographer tensed a bit, he sensed the other didn't really want to let him go, either. The yearning feeling swelled in his heart, making it harder, until the slender arms hesitantly slid down his back.  
  
Asami stepped away, his golden eyes swiftly swept over his lover's demeanor and then turned around, walking back towards the rear of the car.  
  
"I'll see you in a week", he retorted back to Akihito.  
  
  
Akihito backed up against the building's wall, while the door was shut behind the man by his bodyguard. Izumi went back to the driver's seat, and once ready, revved up the car, preparing it for a long destination. Akihito just slumped against the cold surface, as it passed by him, watching the back windows.  Something steadily began to cling to his heart as the dark vehicle turned and disappear into the street.  
  
"Hope you have a safe trip…" he muttered to himself.  
  
 _Please be safe._  
  
His heart oddly skipped at the last unvoiced thought. The small recall of the nightmare phased through him. He had almost forgotten all about it in the excitement of getting to Asami. And just like before, he instantly tired to throw the memory of it to the back of his mind.  
  
 _I **don't** need to worry…_  
  
  
  
Asami had been watching through the faintly tinted window as they drove away. His lover had leaned upon the brown-bricked wall, and he studied the hazel eyes intently. Reassuring himself he didn't see any traces of what was left unsaid, but there seemed to be no recollection of the night's worries. The photographer was spunkier than ever to even make it down all the way in time, just to catch him before he set off on his trip. It made the moment worthwhile for him. And when the view of Akihito vanished, the longing feeling returned, instantly.  
  
He had fallen deep into the abyss of love. A love he would never dare to sever. Sighing again, he hoped the days would fly by fast enough.  
  
 _Seven days isn't long…  I'll manage…_  
  
Getting comfortable in the leather seat, he relaxed his body for the next passing hours.  
  
"Izumi, please take the long way to Takasaki, more by the country side.", he quietly gave out his order.  
  
Izumi glanced in the rear-view mirror, nodding in acknowledgment of the request. Turning the luxurious BMW on the next intersection, and headed westward before the trip would take them northbound.  
  
After some time, Asami pressed a button on the door side to slide up the partition for his own personal space. Still holding on to the metallic piece, he opened up his palm and observed it. His fingers ran through each link, catching the same delicate word over and over again, except the ending pieces that joined. It brought another smile to his face, for the way the boy had thought of him.  
  
 _This is pretty much the first gift from him._  
  
Putting it into his chest pocket, he decided to put it on when he returned to the photographer he loved.  
  
 _I think the time is getting closer for the two of us._  
  
His thoughts finally settled down, and just in time his cell began to ring. Getting back to business was his goal now, the rest would have to unfortunately come later.  
  
  
  
  
Akihito strolled into the penthouse, and returned straight back into the bedroom. Making his way to the bed, he dropped face first into the large mattress. The cool soft surface underneath him made his exceeded body feel at ease. Though not everything stayed that serene, on the inside something started to disturb him. He wasn't sure what, but it happened just as Asami left.  
  
Inhaling the sheets that had mild traces of the man's musky scent. He rolled onto his side, his arms crushing the covers around him in a tight squeezing hug, as his mind began to slowly drift into another unconscious state. However the nap didn't last more than ten minutes, a snippet of the bright firing blaze reawakened him as it streamed into his mind, fiercely. It set a troubling notion inside his heart, making him question the meaning of its return. The image began to irritate him the more he pondered on it.  
  
So instead he picked himself up lazily from the bed. And started to gather up the rest of his scattered clothing, placing all the pieces on the bed. Strolling into the bathroom, he decided to take a quick refreshing shower, however it didn't help in settling his mood.  
  
He was obviously still tired from the entire week of running around and trying to catch the city's top crimes in action. Along with the fact of almost getting caught by another unhappy representative. He was glad the guards caused a distraction in the midst of the chase. Now that he recalled the incident, he looked for his camera, which was waiting for him on the nightstand tucked next to the lamp.  
  
Examining the equipment, he noticed the lens was broken, as large chunks of shards were missing. Yet, it did seem like the film compartment took the initial brunt. Since the roll was fully wound back, it could have easily made the film jump out after the harsh impact to the ground. Frowning, he still couldn't believe it happened in the first place. Most of his equipment could withstand those kinds of blows.  
  
 _I wonder where I lost it, I wasn't even paying attention where I was running in that mad rush…_  
  
Sighing heavily, he shrugged his shoulders carelessly, and ruffled his damp hair with his fingers with some frustration. He thought hard about the area he was investigating in and the various possibilities of where he had run through. Dropping the camera onto the bed, he grabbed his shirt instead. Pulling it over his head and upper body, followed by his soiled sweatshirt, while he took a last glance around the room. He didn't really need anything else.  
  
 _I hope I find it… and then I might come back here for tonight…_  
  
He stopped for a second, his mind ticking through plans. Knowing first thing, he needed another way out of the building. And didn't want the guards trailing behind him right away, they'd most likely want to nab the film off of him. That is if Asami had instructed them to, which was quite possible since it peaked the man's curiosity last night. Lately, the men had been showing up even without Asami's orders, and he found his freedom a little more restrained than normal.  
  
Opening the door to the outer hallway, he took a quick peek both ways. Strangely enough, the coast was silent and clear.  
  
 _Maybe they are taking a break from watching over me…_ He scrapped that theory quickly. _Yeah right!…_  
  
Pursing his lips, he avoided the elevator once again and directly crept quietly towards the staircase. Rapidly, he trekked down the steps again, not as fast like he had done before. Nevertheless, about half way through his small escapade, he heard additional footsteps shuffling quickly from levels above him.  
  
 _Damn!… They're already onto me…_  
  
He increased his tempo, flying through the rest of the flights of stairs. It only seemed like one person was behind him and not a whole gang like sometimes. Ever more, he made it down to the lobby without a hitch, and exited the large building complex quickly enough for the other not to catch up. Once on the street, he blended into the crowd, making it difficult for whoever was after him. On his way towards his destination, he stopped at a fast food joint and grabbed a quick bite to eat since he hadn't had anything for quite some hours. When his stomach was full enough, he continued on with his expedition.  
  
Glancing around once in a while here and there, he made sure no guard was around his presence. He noticed the daylight seemed to be slipping away however, the sun still made its way a lot sooner towards the West in these months. Time wasn't something on his side, either. His scooter was left behind at the Tokyo Mirror, so he knew he had quite a distance to cover and hurry it up a bit. Picking up the pace through the random streets, he found the deserted four-story building he was looking for an hour later.  
  
It was tucked away between the alleyways, and seemed to be partially a small factory of some sort, while other levels were occupied with office floors. What he knew so far, it hadn't been leased out to anyone recently for its trade. So, he had wondered who its true owners were, and if they were apart of last night's secret meeting. It was also an eerily quiet area, far away from the main streets and the bustling noise of the usual hectic traffic.  
  
He suddenly seemed to feel like he was on a different plane, secluded away from Kabukicho and the rest of the city. Clearing his mind of the strange notion, he glanced around attempting to pinpoint which direction he came and fled from his predators. By instinct, he located where he was pointing his camera from, which way was his out when he was done, and walked about two steps from it, and immediately broke into a run from the scene. Letting his eyes and feet lead the way as if it were the night before.  
  
Knowingly, he twisted through a few various alleys and made the distance of a block or maybe more. Usually while being chased, he always made the effort to run as far as possible. When he got to the point of wheezing for deep breaths, he stopped. Aware he should have made it far enough by now, though, he did get himself lost through doing too many turns.  
  
However, he kind of didn't care at this point, since the film could be anywhere in the surrounding area. So he decided to just solemnly wander through each of the uninhabited concrete halls, in hopes of spotting the roll. It was a tedious task after all, as he kicked numerous amounts of trash out along the way, while his eyes scanned for a significant bright color. The hours were catching up to his aimless hunt.  
  
He lost track of time, and as the sun was making its way to rest. That he sadly had to give up on the whole thing too, and take it as a loss. It seemed futile to keep going, when he really wasn't so sure where to look anymore, knowing most likely he had gone through a majority of the block. Slowly, he began to walk on in an attempt to find one of the main street entry points he recognized, and then paused some midway. Turning his head slightly to the side, he found another alley entryway tucked away. He was sure he hadn't combed through it yet. Since the sun was already dimming behind the tall buildings, he could see this one barely had any light around it, the upper walls above were bare of any lamps, as well.  
  
 _Could it be this one?… It was really dark where I fell…_  
  
Carefully, he made his way towards it, and stopped suddenly. Glancing left and right, waiting for his ears to pick up the sound once more. He was sure he heard footsteps somewhere close by. His eyes narrowed as he stood there, but no one seemed to be around.  
  
 _Maybe it's just my imagination… I'm pretty beat after all…_  
  
Turning back towards the passage, he began to scour through it, his eyes squinting and skimming through the dark paved ground. He had to find it immediately, before the rest of the daylight faded away from him.  
  
Halfway into the narrow space, he kicked a small trash bin aside towards the wall, causing quite a racket as he did. And a few feet away, his eyes finally caught the black and green film roll.  
  
 _Gotcha ya!!!_  
  
He ran forward and picked it up, his eyes also spotting the glittering residue, and glass shards from his camera lens. He gripped the film tightly, knowing it had to be his and was about to turn back towards the entryway.  
  
A shot popped loudly, the sound ringing in his ears and echoing through the narrow passage. He saw the bullet fling off the tar near his foot.  
  
 _Shit!! That was too close…_  
  
Taking a quick glance back, while his body moved forth, trying to make a gap between his attacker. He crouched behind a large garbage container on the side, and took another careful glimpse over it. The bulky man on the other end was advancing in, the gun pointing in his direction and ready to shoot again.  
  
 _Have they been waiting for me to come back?… But…_  
  
He ducked back down, his brows furrowed at the sudden peculiar thought.  
  
 _That wouldn't make sense… How would they know I would?_  
  
In a rash decision, Akihito dashed out towards the dark opposite end not knowing where it was going to even lead him.  
  
 _It could be a dead end?…_ The dreadful feeling of uneasiness swelled into him. _But I have no choice…_  
  
Hastily, he picked up his pace. Knocking over trash bins and a few wooden skids as he passed through, hoping to cause some distraction or even slow the man down just a bit. Another shot hit the brick wall not too far from his shoulder.  
  
 _Have they been following me just to get to the film… thinking that I had it on me all along?…_  
  
Taking an abrupt turn, the passage did lead him to the next opening, at which he saw a main street with people passing by. He ran as hard as he could for it, as feet trailed after him, close enough behind his shadow. He pulled on another bin behind him, almost getting tangled up over some random garbage, himself, while he raced desperately towards the open road.  
  
 _I got to make it there, they can't do anything to me once I run through…_  
  
His steps were growing heavier with each hit on the pavement.  
  
 _Just a little more… Why aren't those guards around now, when I need them._  
  
He thought about Asami's men for a fleeting moment, and how sometimes they really had bad timing.  
  
Bursting through the gap, he felt the wind hit him from the side with just as much relief for a measly second. Knowing this wasn't even close to being over. He was unsure what street he had landed upon, and dove towards the left. Weaving in front of some bystanders and crowds of people that gave him a sure cover. But it didn't last too long.  
  
Three loud bangs of gunshots flew into the open air, making everyone around him scream and duck for cover. His eyes widened in shock, when he spotted another two brawny men loom from the opposite direction that he was heading in. He halted, unsure of what to do, as he was being eyed in a very dangerous way.  
  
 _These guys aren't afraid of the public eye._  
  
They had their weapons drawn and were now coming after him in full force from both directions. Akihito looked left and right, as frustration and fear began to dwell within him.  
  
 _How do I get away from them?…_  
  
He gulped for air that was getting thin in his lungs, and abruptly did the unthinkable on a last crucial second.  
  
Akihito darted into the oncoming traffic that hadn't stopped moving even after the gunfire echoed throughout the street. One car nearly slammed into him, while he attempted to make a run across the avenue of six lanes. Spinning away from that car, his heart pounded wildly in his chest. He thought he was going to make it through in a swift breeze. Yet, his luck appeared to run low, when he tripped over one of the subtle potholes and slammed hard into the asphalt. The adrenaline rush became too much for his body to handle, he could feel his muscles spasm. The film fell out of his grasp, bouncing off a foot away from his hand, while his attention widened to the loud honking car that was coming right at him.  
  
Finding his strength, in a high-speed motion, he scrambled up quickly. The screeching tires swirled right behind him, over where he'd been, avoiding him by mere inches. He managed to grab the roll in time before getting nearly hit by the vehicle. His legs trembled underneath him, as he quickly stumbled the rest of the way through to the other side, making it into the next alley's entrance. The loud sound of crashes followed behind, his entire body cringing at the noise and mess he just created.  
  
Looking back in fearful panic, two vehicles collided together head on, while other drivers got out of their cars angrily shouting at each other and most likely in shock at the same time. There were at least three other mild fender benders.  
  
 _How am I going to get out of this?… The cops are going to have a field day with it._ Akihito whined internally.  
  
 _And Asami?!…_ He shuddered at the thought of what the man would do to him.  
  
Eyes started to suddenly fall upon him from the crowd, while his hastily skimmed for the three men that started it all. What followed next was a huge explosion from one of the vehicles. An engine erupted into huge flare of bright light. Taking him aback, and making his heart skip the beats that were still running wildly. The fire spread through the front of the hood, quickly smoking up the center of the street.  
  
The worst of it all was, he couldn't make a move. His feet firmly stuck to the ground, as his hazel eyes were entranced by the sight of the flame. His mind took a sudden swirl of its own, his heart felt the sickening wave with it. The fire had somehow spellbound him into place, and appeared like it was coming right at him, wrapping itself in his atmosphere. Almost as if it was going to swallow every piece of him in mere seconds.  
  
That urgent familiar voice returned to him, pounding in his ears.  
  
 _"You're running out of time… save him!"_  
  
Akihito gasped as the plea somehow embedded itself in his core. He had a hard time snapping out of the mysterious spell. And once he could blink the vision away, someone slammed him harshly into the sturdy brick wall, knocking out all the wind within him.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story 
> 
>  
> 
> **Some time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

His head hit hard against the rigid wall, everything almost blacked out in an instant as the air escaped his lungs. Groaning, the pain spiked throughout his body. His first reaction was to attempt to push away the stern weight that kept him in place. Panic filled him rapidly when his strength failed him, his vision was still unclear from the strange enchantment that had occurred a moment ago.  
  
 _Why can't I get away from them? Who are they?_  
  
The rush of events around him seemed to be all one loud commotion in his head. Trying again, he put all his might and effort into pushing the person off of him. Once again, he failed, and finally submitted to the tight hold between the brick wall and the strong body that relentlessly wouldn't subside. He felt drained from everything all of a sudden, the exhaustion swayed through him and caught up in one heavy sweep.  
  
His desperate flight for the safety of his life flashed before him. How he almost got himself killed by taking another stupid yet needed risk across a busy street. He just stared at the ground, suddenly unable to forget the view of that oncoming car. Those bright headlights were imprinted deeply in his eyes. But what was far worst, was that fire and the whispered words, keeping a tight bind on his mind. Akihito nearly slumped against the form that held him, his senses dulled in the thunderous uproar that was still going on in the background.  
  
He heard a murmur of his name being called repeatedly over and over, while firm hands held him by the shoulders suddenly. Shaking him, trying to gain his attention and out of the critical state of shock he felt himself sinking into.  
  
Akihito jumped hearing another gunshot echoed through the alley they were in, waking him into the real situation at hand. Startled hazel eyes looked up into blue ones that were filled with concern.  
  
 _Asami's…_  
  
A grace of relief swept through him, as the other received his recognition, and swiftly looked away towards the open passage. His thought was crushed, as he was pressed more firmly against the wall by the other form. Shielding him away from the danger that wrapped around them. He could barely breathe, or think of breathing while he was being protected. More shots were fired, some far away and others at close range from the weapon his protector was pointing out. His ears rang each time the loud pop was released. Deep inside, he had enough of the noise encircling him.  
  
  
Shiki felt the tension run through the young man, while holding onto him. After a moment the pursuers had finally receded away from their area, and he finally sighed with ease. It at least gave them a break for a get away. And even though he edged away from the young man, there was still a sense of something odd about the photographer's demeanor.  
  
  
Akihito stood very still, immobile, even with the crazy commotion from the accidents that just occurred. It felt like everything around him got engulfed into a void of silence. He was afraid of making any move, but the awkward quietness was broken by the man's voice.  
  
"You okay? You're not injured anywhere, are you?" a question he barely registered properly through.  
  
The man shook him lightly by the shoulder again, snapping him out of his dazed condition for good. Akihito glanced to the side, where the fire was still burning radiantly, but it wasn't as large as before. It wasn't what had swallowed him up.  
  
In the distance, he heard the panicked people and loud sirens starting to blare in their direction. His gaze fell on the hand that was still holding his shoulder, now very tightly.  
  
Taking in a deep ragged breath, he finally nodded and replied to the bodyguard.  
  
"I'm fine… Can you loosen up on your grip?..." he spoke in a somewhat annoyed voice.  
  
  
Blue eyes narrowed for a second, debating if that would be even wise of him, knowing the kid always ran off too well. Yet, he still complied and let him go, slowly.  
  
"You should come with me, it isn't safe here…  or more like anywhere for you.", he quietly told the photographer.  
  
  
Akihito didn't need to hear that, firing back his usual glare at the man. He knew very well he had something on his film that once again someone was after him for. Biting down his lip and words he wanted to rant out, he stayed silent instead. Swallowing up all the remarks in his throat as the other turned away towards the deeper part of the alley.  
  
Weakly, he slightly limped, feeling the stress in his left leg and ankle as he followed the man in suit to the end of the narrow passage. All the while, taking a glance back once in a while at the burning car as the distance grew greater. Doubting the particular event each time his eyes met the flame.  
  
 _It was my imagination… wasn't it?_  
  
  
A black BMW was waiting in the blanket of dim shadows, hidden away from the rest of the city streets. Shiki guided the boy to the back, and let him slip into the rear seats. He kept a careful eye on the other, noticing the unusual state the young man was in compared to other times. Though, this time something obviously had traumatized him, and it weren't the flying bullets through the air.  
  
While Shiki went around to the driver's seat, he thought of other possibilities that could have stirred things up into motion. He knew he had to take Takaba somewhere safe, being Asami's penthouse overall. And then planned to calmly report the full incident to his boss and most likely Renji. Slipping into his seat, he took a glimpse in the rear-view mirror.  
  
Takaba was staring at him, giving him a stern look and immediately broke the silence.  
  
"I want you to take me home, not the penthouse" Akihito stated flatly.  
  
"You know I can't do that, especially after what just happened." Shiki responded in the same tone, proving to him that Takaba was being irrational.  
  
Instead, Akihito abruptly turned his head towards the window.  
  
"Just **do it** … or I'm getting out now.", strongly stating through gritting teeth.  
  
  
Shiki pursed his lips. _  
  
What the hell is he thinking? To even ask this of me… This will go against Asami-sama…_  
  
Sighing a bit internally, he didn't know what other choice he had. Since he hated being threatened by the brat after all, but Takaba was also his boss' lover.  
  
"You know you're not going to be safe there" Shiki stated the fact. "Or where ever you —"  
  
"Then put someone at the door… I don't care… just _**take**_ me home." Akihito snapped back loudly.  
  
Shiki was taken a little aback, as the awkward silence instantly filled the car.  
  
"All right…" he finally agreed quietly, knowing his job would be on the line for going along with it. Just when he thought it was settled, the boy interrupted him once more.  
  
  
"And one more thing…" Akihito mumbled through his breath, " **Please** don't tell Asami what happened… " his voice quivered slightly.  
  
His gaze fell to the carpeted floor of the car, he didn't want his lover to worry about him. Especially for the enormous mistake that he just caused out there and nearly threw everything out of proportion.  
  
  
Shiki swallowed a deep breath, unsure which way to respond to the photographer's request. And turned back towards the kid, eyeing him very hard.  
  
"You're _kidding_ me, right…", he finally replied in a deep sarcastic tone.  
  
"After what we just went through, Asami-sama should be the first to know. How much do you think I could even hold back?" he argued with some agitation.  
  
It was finally aggravation that hit a nerve in him for even having to put up with that kind of plea after everything. The boy didn't look up to meet his eyes, just fidgeted with something in his hands. He frowned at the situation, and turned back around, pressing his back into the seat.  
  
"Fine… ", he answered quietly, only to calm the younger man down.  
  
Though Shiki was the type to keep his word, it was only meant for Asami-sama. Either way, information about the occurrence was going to get out. This wasn't just some minor incident. For now, he figured that the boy just wanted his own space. Protecting him became a top priority, mainly from what he just witnessed. No one usually went after the boy with bullets first, nor dared to try.  
  
 _Guess I'll report it once I take the first watch..._  
  
Turning the keys, he revved up the engine, and backed the car out of the narrow hiding spot.  He took a route that would avoided the major arteries and traffic jams as police vehicles zoomed past them towards the opposite direction. The ride was an awfully quiet one, but he was all too used to it.  
  
His phone went off once, and he immediately threw in a few words, keeping his conversation simply short. He didn't want to risk saying anything that would upset Takaba and make the boy dart out far from his reaches. Not that he would be able to get away from him, but the chases were getting old sometimes.  
  
A tracking device was set in the photographer's phone this time. And that piece of tech alone made all their jobs a little easier, but not for certain. They've tried to place trackers into different items and Takaba sometimes had a tendency of finding and destroy them if he didn't want to be found. Which in the end made it inevitable to keep him out of trouble, whether he was looking for it or getting into it.  
  
Glancing into the rear-view mirror every now and then, only to the same sight cast back. Takaba seemed to be in a mind of his own throughout the entire drive, that he didn't even realize they parked right in front of his small apartment complex.  
  
  
"You should go and get some rest…", the voice snapped him out of the deep haze.  
  
Akihito looked around, his eyes refocusing to the outside. Glancing back at the guard, he gave him a small nod.  
  
"Thank you", he muttered.  
  
He threw the door open, and was about to take his leave of the car, and suddenly paused, turning towards the man.  
  
"Um..." he stumbled in his thoughts.  
  
 _How the hell do I tell them?…  
  
I don't want to look like I have lost my mind… or … or have I already lost it…_  
  
Tightening his lips, his eyebrows furrowed, thinking of the right words to use or say. The guard just kept his blue eyes on him from the rear-view mirror, seeing his ever changing expressions.  
  
"Ah… Never mind… " he exhaled, shaking his head and jumped out of the seat, shutting the door behind him. Quickly, he trailed away from the car.  
  
 _They would want evidence, if anything… and so far it has been a crazy dream… or my imagination. Or… ugh…_  
  
His fingers ruffled harshly through his hair and he started to proceed up the stairs. In the corner of his eye the black car just parked on the side of the road and went silent. This time he didn't mind the bodyguards hanging around, especially after that shoot out.  
  
Taking each step slowly, his body felt drained of energy, every muscle weakened from the running and looking back. Even last night’s exploit, along with Asami and his love session had made a huge impact. Sighing deeply, he stumbled through the last couple of stairs to his apartment door. Unlocking it, he walked through the threshold only into its eerie stillness.  
  
As he switched the lights on, his eyes zipped side to side, making sure nothing was out of place, and had been as he had left it before. It became a habit after a while, and something he got used to doing each time, even if it seemed like he was paranoid. The first thing he was eyeing was his bedroom and the bed, walking into the cozy small room and suddenly he stopped dead short in it.  
  
That small flashback reappeared in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and suddenly the urge of taking a nap was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't want to see that dream, or any other dream that would make him worry even more. Instead, he backed out of the space, the film still gripped in a fist tight squeeze. Once in the living room, he dropped it onto the coffee table, while finally deciding to shed off all of his dirty torn up clothing. Leaving himself just in a white tee shirt and grey boxers.  
  
The cool temperature of the room set his body into a relaxed state. He knew he had to stay preoccupied to keep himself from thinking. He decided to give Asami a ring first. Picking up his jeans, he grabbed his cell out of the pocket and made the call, only to end up with the voicemail machine. Frowning, he wasn't in any mood to leave a message, so he hit the red button and flopped the phone onto the couch.  
  
 _I'll try again soon…_  
  
Heading into the kitchen, he made himself some instant ramen. And it didn't take him long to slurp it all up once it cooled. His appetite wasn't all there, he only knew his stomach was asking for food. Looking at the time, it was only nearing eight in the evening.  
  
 _This is going to be a long night…_  
  
Picking up his cell phone once more, he called his lover and reached the voicemail, again.  
  
This time he sighed lowly, leaving a short message.  
  
"Please call me back when you can… it's… um… it's important", he stuttered out on the line, and hung up.  
  
Staring at the phone, the only impression that kept reflecting in his mind was that burning flame and the echoed words within it. Constantly reappearing, making his thoughts twist w meaning behind it.  
  
 _Is Asami really in that grave danger that I am capable of seeing it?…  
  
That I am the only one able to stop it?!…_  
  
He shook his head lightly, trying to piece it together somehow. He felt something huge was going to happen, but the way the last illusion lunged at him gave him the creeps. Even he felt powerless to it, as if it controlled everything within him and around him.  
  
 _It told me to protect him… to save him… and that time was running out…  
  
But the fire… there was also something strange about it. And I can't even pinpoint it…_  
  
 _Arggh… what the **hell** am I thinking?_  
  
He shrugged off the temptation of going to sleep, again, and vigorously shook out the nonsense that lingered in his head. Dropping the phone on the table, he snatched the film instead, and went directly to the dark room.   
  
_Maybe these will give me some better hints…_  
  
The interest of what he got took the better part of him, making him wonder what was on it to make people from the underworld come after him. Even when he had taken glimpses during his getaway, he didn't recognize any of the participants at all. Slowly preparing all the right mixtures, he took his time through the film. Frame through frame, he exposed the brown strip onto separate sheets of white photo-paper. After taking photo by photo through the fixer, he hanged them up to dry on the line. He examined each photo, imprinting the faces into his memory.  
  
They were all unknown people to him, usually there was at least one that was connected to another gang. Most shots were taken of a young man about close to his age, and another one who seemed a lot older, though tried to keep his face hidden throughout the meeting. He scowled, at how he had only about three possible shots of that person, each time grabbing a hard angle, unable to get the full view of the man's face. It made him more curious about this particular figure, as the others three men that were with the two seemed to be only underlings.  
  
 _Hmmm… I don't know any of them… are they really that important? That I had to be chased for this…  
  
Maybe only one of them is some sort of big shot?_  
  
Finally, he just leaned against the cool wall, breathing in the familiar chemicals of the room. They were really like a drug to him now, lulling him slightly to slumber till he couldn't stay in the containment of them any longer.  
  
An hour or so had flown by, so when he walked out of the small space, he eyed the couch instantly. Flopping down onto the large cushioned pillows face first. Even though he knew he shouldn't, his body was begging for it. He passed out within minutes, his thoughts swaying away.  
  
  
  
  
His eyes stirred open, and widened the minute he found himself not in his room. That dreadful feeling returned abruptly, as panic stirred within him instantly.  
  
 _Where am I???_  
  
He glanced around, finding himself in the back of the dim unknown vehicle. The grim memory of it hit him.  
  
 _This… this happened before… didn't it?…_  
  
Lifting his head up from the warm chest, his gaze fell instinctually up on Asami's face, who was unconscious, and bleeding from the side of the head.  
  
 _Will he wake up… or is it a waste of my time… **  
  
Wait** … why am I thinking like that? How will I even know what will happen?…_  
  
He felt confused and frustrated, unsure of what the real outcome would be. Pushing himself up quickly, his fingers buried in his hair, trying to even consider the craziness of possibilities that things could happen twice. He had a sickening twist in the pit of his stomach, it felt like a déjà vu all over again.  
  
 _Could I prevent it?…  
  
Prevent what?…_  
  
His eyes widened in shock again.  
  
 _The fire… it’s going to start…_  
  
Even with the mist of uncertainty in him, that was the only thing that registered. It somehow had impacted him the most. He took in his surroundings once more in a swift pace.  
  
 _Maybe I missed something…_  
  
Hazel eyes scanned the leather interior, the smashed hood with smoke escaping from it, the uncertain darkness that surrounded the car, and a faint glow from up above. The guard was unconscious in the front and wounded. There was that sickening scent of gas mixed with blood, and something else that he couldn't recognize. His eyes swallowed up the details, and recalled he didn't have much time.  
  
 _But why hasn't anyone found us yet?_  
  
The nauseating feeling returned in him, and he decided to take action. He wanted to change it all, anything to prevent what would come if he were even correct about it. He had to evade it somehow for the sake of all their lives. So this time he went directly for the door on his side. Trying to push it with all his might, even pound and kick at the window. Everything was the same as before, the door's safely locked was still on, windows were barely breakable even with the small cracks that ran through them.  
  
His mind jumped through ideas of how to get out. The gaseous odor sent his mind spiraling, weakening his intentions. He lunged for the front seats, slithering through the half ajar partition, trying to reach the buttons on the dashboard to unlock the doors. Stopping short of it, when the glass in between gave way and shattered due to his weight. He fell, hitting the divider with his ribs and left hand. Clenching his teeth, he hissed as some of the small shards jabbed through his tee shirt and cut into his skin, the pain vividly seeping through. It was a minor injury, but his body trembled nevertheless, making it hard for him to reach out to the front. Akihito slumped back into the seats, looking at his bloody fingers.  
  
 _How can this not be real? I feel pain… otherwise…_  
  
Turning back towards his lover quickly, he considered the option of at least trying to wake the other up. He started to shove Asami harshly with his fists against the shoulders, praying and hoping it wouldn't be in vain.  
  
" ** _Asami!… Please… WAKE UP!!!_** ", he shouted in sheer panic at the top of his lungs.  
  
Only to still have the yakuza limp against the seat. The man hadn't reacted to any of the racket he'd been making all this time in the vehicle.  
  
 _Why is this happening?… Why won't he even move?…_  
  
His hand brushed down upon something hard and rigid in the black jacket. Immediately, he fumbled through it, finding the object fairly fast under the large arm. _A gun…_  
  
He hastily grabbed it without thinking, trying to get the safety hatch off as he held it in his injured hand. _  
  
If I shoot the window from the inside…  I might be able to break us free…_  
  
Turning away from the one he loved, he pointed it at the opposite window, in the corner of his eye he caught the flicker of light rise up.   
  
_No… Not yet…_  
  
The fire had begun and time was running short, too short.  
  
Aiming, his arms out at full length, trembling to keep them straight. He was about to pull the trigger, and gulping down the air that seemed to get stuck in his throat, holding down the sob that was ready to burst through his airway.  
  
His vision blurred instantly in realization, his hands lowering the weapon and tossing it harshly in the corner out of anger.  
  
 _I can't… it's also going to kill us…_  
  
His mind summoned the logic in the haze, there was too much gas inside and it would just accelerated the explosion. The vehicle was a trap all around them.  
  
 _A death trap…_  
  
Turning back, he slumped in defeat, leaning his cheek against Asami's shoulder. Faintly crying out the man's name, something that would always stay on his lips. Akihito glanced down and his eyes widened, spotting a glint of gold wrapped around the man's finger. His brows knitted, knowing, yet somehow not that he had questioned its presence before. It was his bracelet, the one he gifted to the man earlier in the day. Gently, he placed his hand over it, his heart filled with just a tiny fracture of a bittersweet moment and what it meant to the both of them.  
  
A loud crackled pop made his bleary eyes look back up, as the flame suddenly grew larger, entrancing him each time it flickered brightly. He knew what would happen, his time was about to come. Yearning to shy away from it desperately, his arms wrapped around the man's chest tightly, his fingers clutched onto the warmth of his lover's being. Hearing the steady rhythm of the heart, his own pounding loudly in his ears. He wanted to shut his eyes tightly, but a blurred enchantment unexpectedly took over.  
  
The angry fire spread over the windshield, engulfing the front of the car. And suddenly it shattered, bursting through the glass and swallowing up the interior of the car in an exhilarating rush, submerging him once more in its intense heat.  
  
He felt himself floating through the sweltering air, almost like falling through into an atmosphere of shifted time. It seemed like he'd gone a far distance, as the whirlwind of feathers surrounded him like a shield, beyond it, he only glimpsed the thundering darkness.  
  
 _"You must hurry… You need to warn him. **NOW!!** … "_  
  
The whispered omen rang through the breeze like before. The heat he felt diminished slowly. He squeezed his eyes tightly, wishing all of it were over.  
  
 _Am I still alive?… or have I gone through…_  
  
He groaned in pain when he landed harshly against moist ground, suddenly feeling the chill of cold air all around him. It appeared like he had been blown away from the explosion. Or more like right through it.  
  
Blinking his eyes open, the starry night-sky stared down on him, along with the brightly waxed moon, as patches of smoky dark clouds passed through the air.  
  
Shaking off the strange feeling, he jolted upright to a sitting position. His hand didn't feel its injured anymore, the sting of the pain had vanished away with the heat. He found himself surrounded by the darkness of large trees and an empty side road up on the small hill.  
  
 _How?… I was in the car…_  
  
Thoughts crashed to a halt, his mouth dropped wide open, gasping for air that was immersed in trails of smoke. His perplexed hazel eyes stared at the sight laid out in front of him. The luxurious car was a few meters away from him, saturated in hot licking flames.  
  
 _I was in there… I couldn't get out… it's impossible…_  
  
It was all unrealistic to him for even happening. He wanted to get up, yearning to run there as fast as possible and try to help somehow.  
  
 _He's still in there… he…_  
  
The shock of the dreadful scene hit, numbing him to the core, nearly stopping him from taking a breath.  
  
A sound of a started engine revving up to his right faintly caught his attention, his gaze quickly fell upon a different expensive vehicle a couple of feet away from where he was. Akihito had a hard time focusing his eyes on it. One man was in the driver's seat, which he couldn't see very well, and another was approaching the car.  
  
That person seemed to be about his age and height, some features were hard to make out. Hazel eyes instantly dropped to the red tank in the small hand as the man walked towards the car's passenger side.  
  
 _Is that a fuel tank?_  
  
The stranger turned around, taking in a last view of the inferno.  
  
Akihito heard the words that swam through the intoxicating air, even though he was quite some range away.  
  
"Now everything you were will be gone… " it sneered, "It'll be all mine…"  
  
The way the tone was held almost felt like a knife had been twisted in his heart. The man disappeared into the vehicle and both suspects swerved their car around and away from the scene. Akihito was left there all alone, watching the horrendous demise in front of him. All that was heard was the crackling of the fire, almost deafening to his ears.  
  
Tears brimmed his eyes and spilled drop by drop, flooding down his cheeks.  
  
 _I couldn't save him after all…_  
  
Gasping out a loud sob, his eyes widened in sudden terror when a hand slammed flat against the back window of the fire-blazed car.  
  
"No… " the whisper barely left his mouth.  
  
 **"NOOOOOOO!!!"**  
  
The wrenched scream echoed into the night.  
  
  
  
  
He choked, jerking upright on the couch in an abrupt motion. Unable to catch any of his gasping breaths, while his insides felt like they had turned into a dozen knots. Right away he had to cover his mouth, jumping off the sofa and stumbling towards the kitchen sink in a speeding minute. He barely made it, regurgitating everything he had eaten hours ago. The sickening feeling overcame him like a tidal wave from the ferocious nightmare. It made him lose his mind and cringe just at the thought of recalling it.  
  
Coughing out all he could, he ran the tap, washing out his mouth out and then taking some sips of the icy water. He thought it would calm him down, but his legs gave out. He dropped down to his knees in one loud thud, and hanged on to the counter for support, trying to even out his breath and shake off the vibe that churned within him.  
  
When that didn't help, he slumped all the way down onto the floor, letting the cold tiles cool his body from the fevered dream. His eyes gazed off, entranced with the white ceiling, while he inhaled and exhaled deep breaths. After a few minutes, he eventually felt better.  
  
 _It was the same warning almost… like I don't have enough time left… for him… I have to call **him** …_  
  
Slowly he sat up, checking the clock on the microwave and noticed that he manage to sleep through over twelve hours.  
  
 _Noon… Was I really that tired…  or under some sort of spell?…_  
  
 _Damn…_  
  
He didn't want to truly think that last thought, and didn't waste time mulling over it. Scrambling off the floor, he picked himself up and went back to the small living room, locating his phone on the coffee table.  
  
Grabbing it, he fumbled through the speed dial, and placed the phone to his ear. Unable to control his emotions, he began to pace the carpet on the floor, praying for the man to pick up this time around. It was about the third ring when he heard the man's voice come through the line.  
  
"Asami speaking.", the strong tone reverberated in his ears.  
  
His heart leapt in his chest with relief, knowing the man was still safe and sound, though suddenly everything he had to say got stuck in his throat.  
  
"Akihito?…" The firm tone came through once more.  
  
Akihito finally choked out his lover's name, "Ryuichi…"  
  
Unsure where to begin or what to say, he knew he might sound crazy any minute to the other.  
  
"Akihito... What's wrong?"  
  
He took a deep breath, hearing the concern in the voice. Just that one response made him well up with emotions. Suddenly, he spilled out what he could without crashing into a sob.  
  
"I… I **_need_** you to come home right away… Please!"  
  
He knew it was unusual of him to ask such a thing of the man, but he had to do something. Anything.  
  
"Why are you asking so suddenly?"  
  
Asami didn't sound amused with his request at all. Akihito swallowed hard.  
  
"Please, I really need you to come back…  I don't know how to explain it, but I think you're in grave danger.", speaking through more urgently.  
  
He was met with unbearable silence when he finished his sentence. He barely heard the small agitated exhale, followed by a calm reply.  
  
"Akihito… My job is always goi —"  
  
  
" **DAMN IT!!! _RYUICHI_** … Just come **HOME** … What will it take for you to listen to _**ME**_ …", Akihito erupted on the man, as he screamed into the phone.  
  
He couldn't control his anxiety anymore, as the nightmare flashed right before him. Seeing it over more than once meant something. It _**had**_ to mean something.  
  
" _ **Look!**_ I have been having nightmares, and I feel that it's showing me you're going to be in a car accident… ", he quickly rambled unevenly, " and will get trapped… no one… no one will come…", he almost stuttered out the rest, unable to hold back the breaking tears anymore.  
  
"I don't want to _lose you_ … I _can't_ …" His voice hitched into a loud sob, as his breath turned into short gasps. Crying through his words "I know… I know I sound —"  
  
A loud knock on the door startled the daylight out of him, making his blood run cold in every part of his system as a painful gulp strained his throat. He was going to be sick again.  
  
  
"That's Renji...", the voice answered somewhat calmly, like somehow the man had it timed out and it faintly diluted his uneasiness.  
  
  
Akihito confused, stared blankly at the entryway. As it suddenly changed the current he was wrapped in, like everything he just yelled out was suddenly made invalid. Sniffling, he took a few deep breaths and managed to croak out in a somewhat dumbfound tone.  
  
"Why… Why is he here?…", and then bit his tongue instantly for questioning it. He had forgotten that he changed his mind about them being around this time, recalling the protection he needed.  
  
  
"You think I wouldn't hear about last night's close call…", Asami's voice went cold, keeping his anger in check.  
  
"You have all of my subordinates on serious edge. Go open the door and leave with him right away. I don't want to hear anymore about your dangerous escapades, is that understood. ", the man firmly instructed him over the phone.  
  
  
"But… " Akihito peeped out and then pursed his lips tightly, knowing he didn't have an argument as he took small wobbly steps towards the door. Another pounding sound came through the wooden panel, nearly rattling it loose off the hinges. In the end, he rushed forward, before it would be broken into splinters by the man. The door creaked open, just ajar for Akihito to see Renji standing there, impatiently. A stern look was across the sturdy face, like the man was annoyed already from the beginning of the morning. The dark bruise on his left cheekbone, made him look even more fearsome.  
  
Akihito quickly hid his face and swiped the back of his hand over his face, trying to make his tears disappear. Stepping away from the threshold, the man pushed the door open a touch further, bringing in the afternoon light.  
  
"Akihito…", the deep tone brought back his attention through the earpiece, as if waiting for a response.  
  
He swallowed again and decided to try and make a quick deal. It was the only way for him to make things go his way.  
  
"I'll go with him… On the condition you return by _sundown_ , **today** …", he tried to respond calmly.  
  
  
Asami stayed silent again for a moment, as if contemplating it this time around. The sound of flipping pages reflected back to him in the background. After a minute the man sighed and responded.  
  
"All right. I'll handle two more meetings and will be on my way there.", Asami told the young man.  
  
  
Akihito felt a wave of relief for just a second run through him.  
  
"Promise me I'll see you before the sun sets.", he uttered his last words.  
  
"You will, now _please_ go with Renji.", the answer was returned calmly, and with that the call was brought to an end.  
  
  
The bodyguard stood tall, barely making a move from the threshold, making sure Takaba wouldn't dart out past him.  
  
Renji watched the boy slowly go to the kitchen and grab a glass. While filling it with water, he saw the tremors in the small hand. Takaba only managed to take a few sips, before putting it back down with a clatter, and gripped the rim of the counter tightly instead. They both stayed silent for a while, Renji didn't try to rush the other even though he wanted to, as Takaba took the time to come to terms emotionally over something. After a moment the boy quietly began to move around his place. Putting on a pair of jeans, and picking out a random sweatshirt from the side closet. Observing, he noticed that Takaba's eyes were red and he wasn't his usual spirited self. Shiki had mentioned something appeared to be off about the brat since the other night.  
  
 _Did yesterday shake him up that much?…  
  
And why was he asking the boss to come back so suddenly?…_  
  
 _Does he know something we don't?…_  
  
His eyebrows furrowed, keeping this in mind, and planned to call Izumi later to make sure everything was in order on both ends. The young man swiped his cellphone from the table and his keys from the nearby shelf, and quietly proceeded towards him and the front door. Renji couldn't believe there was not a single fight or vulgar word coming out of him. While the boy locked the door, he scanned the area from the top of the staircase, making sure there weren't any suspicious characters.  
  
Once both of them were ready, he escorted the young man down to the limo. And willingly the boy just went along, sliding into the back seat in their usual routine. Trying to not act suspicious, he kept an eye on Takaba, and that is when he spotted the panic rising in the hazel eyes. He caught onto the change of atmosphere and how the kid tried to calm himself down, pretending like nothing was wrong.  
  
He bent down towards the opening, "Is something the matter?…", he asked quietly, enough for the other to hear. Takaba just shot him a quick glare of agitation.  
  
"No… Just go…  and drive already." , the tone was fierce but there was a waver in it.  
  
  
Renji pursed his lips, straightened up and slammed the door shut. Just because he became worried, all he got was a rude remark. Walking towards the front of the vehicle, he slipped into his seat and adjusted the rear-view mirror, his eyes catching the view behind. And instantly thought about not taking the comment to heart, as the boy had curled his feet up onto the seat, hugging his knees, tightly. It was obvious he was looking for comfort and wasn't getting it. Their eyes never met as the young man spaced out the window, most likely lost in his own mindful world.  
  
Renji turned the key, starting up the engine, and began to drive out onto the street and towards their destination of the penthouse. About five minutes into the ride, he placed a quick call to Asami. He made sure to keep the conversation really low while making the small report about the odd behavior. Renji noticed Asami seemed unresponsive for a moment as if lost in thought, and then the man suddenly began to give him orders one by one of things that needed to be taken care of. He listened and acknowledged them with an 'mhmm' or 'yes sir'. That is until one on the list came up and caught him surprisingly off guard.  
  
"Wait. Pardon sir,… Are you certain you want that done?" he whispered into the phone.  
  
He didn't intend to question his boss, it just seemed unusual in the matter. Yet, there was again an obvious hesitation on the line. He waited and could hear Asami clear his throat, followed by a quiet 'yes'.  
  
"All… All right, sir." Renji responded lowly and took a quick glance at the boy, then back to the road.  
  
Asami continued with a few more details, and he agreed to get it all done in a timely manner. Once finished with the call, he dialed out to another trusted colleague to fulfill some of the particular tasks for him, before he got there. He glancing back a few more times on the way, only to see the same view reflect back.  
  
  
  
Akihito had let the scene of the city zip by in one big blurred motion through the window. Spotting people on and off as they passed by and enjoyed the mild weather that was coming with the season. He wanted to get out of the car as fast as possible, the sickening feeling had never really left him, wanting to resurface continually. It was hard for him to keep control over it, and he felt himself break into a sweat.  
  
He hoped deep in his heart he got through to Asami, moreover that he was speaking nonsense. A dream should be just a dream.  
  
 _Did he believe me? He should… shouldn't he?…_  
  
He knew how foolish he sounded over the phone. But then again how does he come across the same nightmare twice, in such a short span of time. Its impression seemed alike to the ones that he went through some months ago, where his mind was full of doubts and he got stuck in a dark realm. He frowned for a moment, and then held his breath when the images wanted to flood his vision, once more.  
  
Akihito began to question of who could even be trying to send that type of messages across to him. As bizarre as it sounded, he thought for sure he was going insane by now. Though the voice he heard the warnings from almost sounded like his very own, but more like an echo that was within his heart. He shook his head from the insanity of the notions.  
  
 _This is going to drive me mad. What if I'm wrong… Then Asami will be furious with me…  
  
But I'd rather have him safe and sound than anything else…_  
  
He didn't realize the car had already gone underground, until Renji had opened his side door. Stumbling out, he headed the usual direction without the man's guidance, though the burly man was one step behind him. After about five minutes, they were upstairs in the spacious penthouse.  
  
The minute he walked through the door, he smelled his lover's essence. The musky cologne and cigarettes were the only things that reminded him of Asami. The sunlight was peeking through some of the curtains, lighting up the room brightly. He toed off his shoes, as Renji stepped off into the left side room. Which was Asami's study, and most likely to handle some errand for the man, himself.  
  
  
Akihito exhaled with exhaustion, still tired and finally felt a pang of hunger creep into his stomach, however, his appetite was still far from any thought of a real meal. Walking into the kitchen, he went straight for the fridge. Digging around it, there wasn't much food to his taste. Just bits and pieces of leftovers that he liked for previous take-outs. Even with it in sight, he couldn't muster the mood to eat. Eventually, he just grabbed the pitcher of orange juice that stood in the front corner. Taking a glass out of the cupboard, he filled it up to the top, and drank it instantly, the cold liquid refreshing him.  
  
He waited a moment before pouring himself another glass, and leaving it on the counter, while placing the jug back into its cool place. Closing the door, his grip tightened on the handle more fiercely, suddenly feeling like the floor almost slipped out from underneath him. It was an odd sensation, but he decided to try and shake it off.  
  
 _What was that?… don't tell me it's happening again…_  
  
Glancing quickly around him, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Grabbing the glass, he began to head into the living room, planning to skip through some channels on the large screen TV. It was at least something to preoccupy his mind with, while he waited for Asami's return.  
  
  
  
  
Renji was going quickly through some paperwork that Asami requested of him to be on the desk by tonight. Mildly, he still questioned the sudden change of plans. Flipping through pages upon pages of a large document. He almost got lost in some of the various folders, since what he was looking for was difficult to locate. He had been in the study for over five minutes or so, and was about to give up on the last required file, speculating it could be in the other office. With a bit more stubbornness and more poking, he managed to find it, however by then his attention got distracted by the sound of a glass smashing against the floor, followed by a loud thud.  
  
"What did he do now?", he mumbled, almost growling inwardly.  
  
However, he decided not to ponder on it too much, dropping down the stack heavily, and calmly walked around the desk and out of the office. Strolling into the living room area, he immediately spotted Takaba, the lean back facing him as he lay on his side upon the wooden floor. It was just a few feet away from the television set. The boy was motionless, as the bright yellow drink made a splattering puddle near him in a scattering array of shards.  
  
Renji quietly walked up to the young man, and crouched down close to the body. His index finger ran down the neck, checking for the strength of the pulse. He sighed heavily in disapproval at what this had to come to. Takaba was breathing calmly, induced into a deep state of sleep.  
  
His strong arms scooped up the slender limp figure from the floor, and he straightened up, slowly making his way towards the hall and master bedroom. Once there, he immediately placed Takaba gently into the clean silky sheets. The boy took a restrained deep breath, groaning a bit as if in pain. Renji deducted it could be from the direct hit to the floor. He took a moment and look upon the innocent form, somewhat with a guilty expression and tried not to let this get the best of him.  
  
"I'm sorry, kid…", he whispered his apology out in a quiet breath.  
  
Then, abruptly turned away from the bed, walking out of the room, and shut the door soundlessly behind him. Leaving the room to the utter silence and calm swishes of breaths.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

"Sir, it's been done.", it was quietly said.  
  
Asami released a sigh after hearing the statement come through the phone, as a pang of being in the wrong struck him. But it was the only way to go.  
  
"Thank you, Renji. Keep a close eye on him from now on, I should return sometime later today.", he spoke through in the same tone.  
  
The connection cut out and he took a breath, holding it in for a second, as he put the cell in his breast pocket. Sitting in a sofa chair of the quiet hotel room, he closed his eyes, shutting them tightly. And finally released the held air slowly, straining to push all the frustration to the back of his mind. Golden orbs opened to the view of mountains in the far distance, and aggravation took a swing at him slightly.  
  
He hadn't been away from the city for no less than twenty-four hours and things had already taken a bad turn. Now, he had to make rearrangements to cancel the rest of his appointments that he had a hard time making in the first place. He planned this week carefully around new clients, and after these recent calls he didn't know what to think anymore.  
  
He was stuck between his lover's words and what kept his world going. He wouldn't place money as a given priority, but business had to run somehow, and he wanted to acquire these expansions.  
  
 _Why was he so careless again?_  
  
The thought raced through his mind, he clenched his teeth tightly, keeping his growl low. Emotions were starting to split inside him. He didn't have the heart to drug Akihito, but with the way things had happened, it was the safest thing to do for the boy. Not only for the young man, but also for the sake of his subordinates. It gave his enemies less chances of catching him, his men less chances of chasing him throughout the city. Akihito would just remain in one place now, within the safety parameter of his own penthouse.  
  
The only mistake, he had to bear in mind the nightmares that were haunting the boy, and the probability of them resurfacing during the state he was put in for the time being. Asami recalled looking into those hazel eyes, when he left him against his building wall.  
  
 _At that time, all traces of worries were gone, his eyes were bright with happiness._  
  
Renji told him about how unfocused and unstable Akihito was during the recent car ride. Lost in a world of his own, showing signs of terror from phantoms only the boy knew of and no one else could understand.  
  
 _He was the same with me in the car that other time too…_  
  
He took another deep breath, this time of the cigarette that was burning out between his fingers. Inhaling it deeply as he could, and wanting the misting smoke to take everything with it as it escaped his lips.  
  
 _The dreams…_  
  
It did make him wonder why he hadn't sensed anything, himself. Akihito and him shared a very special bond after all, one that was quite extraordinary.  
  
 _Are the circumstances different now? Is there a certain trigger for it?…_  
  
His brows furrowed as he thought back to the rage behind Akihito's words. The uneasiness his lover showed in the limo was a sign he didn't take into consideration before. Unsure what the boy had seen in the realm of the night, yet just from how petrified Akihito was this time, it took enough for it to shake him up and take some prompt action towards it.  
  
 _Was it the same dream as the night we were together… He avoided telling me anything that time, and now he mentions a car accident and being trapped?_  
  
Since the younger man mentioned to be back by sunset, it only meant the event was going to happen during nightfall.  
  
 _I should try to be home by then to avoid it, and watch my back. It would seem not even my guard could prevent it._  
  
Putting out the cigarette, he kind of chuckled to himself. Asami had let his life run a dangerous course often, and the night was where he made most of his business.  
  
 _I'm actually getting a curfew by him._  
  
Shaking his head, he still wanted to get two meetings done in the next town over, and at least close the deals before leaving the district. He packed up the rest of the documents from the coffee table into his suitcase, while carefully looked around for any other items that could belong to him. When he was set, he left the room, leaving a small tip behind. Descending down to the lobby, Izumi was already waiting for him at the front entrance of the building. While he walked through the foyer, he kept his eyes open, scanning side to side for anything suspicious.  
  
 _This isn't what I need right now…  I'm going to be too paranoid because of him. What led to the accident anyway?…_  
  
Stepping outside through the glass door, a warm breeze greeted him with a soft sweep across his face. The gentle touch relaxed him from the tension he held, and made him also realize he still hadn't taken Akihito anywhere on a decent trip for just the two of them. Frowning at the thought for a moment, knowing he should have done something a lot sooner as he went to the rear of the parked car and slid into its back leather seats. Settling in, he took out some of the summaries he needed from the briefcase. Once Izumi rounded the car and got in the driver's seat, he gave him instructions in a somewhat tired tone.  
  
"We're heading to Maebashi, and I'm only going to attend two meetings while we're there. I should be done by four at most and we'll start heading back to Tokyo right afterwards. As for the rest of what had been planned for the week, can you please start rescheduling it for another time." Asami passed the planner of the meetings to the front.  
  
  
Izumi grabbed the notebook and nodded, perceiving how his boss sounded. He understood immediately something urgent had come up back in the city, as he had stayed in touch with Renji. He got wind of Takaba getting himself in trouble, again, but that is as far as their conversation could go at the time.  
  
“Drive carefully, and keep you eyes open.", hearing the tone firmer than he was used to, it grabbed his attention rather quickly.  
  
Looking back in the rear-view mirror, the golden eyes sternly gazed into his. Izumi nodded, thinking what ever had happened to even hear that from the man, himself. It set an awkward atmosphere for him. Usually, he was on top of his job, and didn't need that type of caution. He cleared his throat, avoiding to question it, and just kept it in mind as he started up the car. The town that they needed to be in was approximately less than a half an hour away.  
  
  
Asami settled into the seat, his eyes set on pages that seemed to go blank in his view. He was supposed to prepare for the next meeting, though his mood wasn't set for it any longer. Golden spheres skipped through the lines and drifted to the window, entranced with the city and the variety of businesses passing by, along with some vehicles that sped by ahead of them.  
  
 _At least yesterday's meetings went smoothly, more profits will surly flow in from here._  
  
He managed to take care of four meetings in two different cities on the way up from Tokyo, two of which took place during the late hours of the night and were dealt within underground circles. Three new contracts had actually been passed through. This week alone, he had at least three to four meetings per day lined up for him. It was set aside only for these particular business transactions, some that were actually official business proposals and not the behind the scenes kind.  
  
Exhaling a heavy breath, he recollected on the conversation from the evening before. That one phone call ruined his mood, and nearly killed a deal at the same time. Hearing from Shiki that his lover had another close call made his skin crawl with anger. Even the thought now set the same vibe down his spine.  
  
 _Does the boy have a sign on him that attracts only danger?_  
  
Not only was Akihito chased, it was possible he could have been kidnapped for ransom or maybe worst. Injured or killed. There were a few circles that knew he was his. The major fact that stood out the most was that Akihito almost got run over by a car. That he even purposely ran off into the moving avenue. He couldn't stomach the entire report, and it still made him very uneasy inside.  
  
In the end, he could only listen with determined restraint, unable to set his wrath free over the phone. His client was right across from him, busy skimming through paperwork of the contract. Asami had to keep bringing up the thought that at least one of his men was there, and got the photographer out to safety. He tried hard to ignored the incoming calls from Akihito, knowing he wouldn't stay calm enough for words. Eventually the night got entirely quiet from Tokyo, and he was able to focus on the tasks at hand again.  
  
Glancing down at his chest pocket, he took out the bracelet and played around with it between his fingers.  
  
 _Why can't you be more careful?_  
  
He pondered through questions and answers that he completely forgot all about the outlines laying in his lap. Before he knew it, the car had stopped in the financial district of Maebashi. Feeling the car pull into a parking spot, he blinked away his frustration. Quickly, he pocketed the jewelry and glanced down, his eyes scanning through the pages at a fast pace. Letting the information sink into his head, right before the appointed meeting.  
  
  
Izumi just glanced over once in a while, sensing the tension coming from behind him. He noticed Asami was doing a lot of thinking, but not on what he was supposed to be focused on. After a few minutes, he heard his boss rustle through papers for a moment, then passed over some various folders and ordered him to stay put. Informing him that one hour was presumingly sufficient enough for his return.  
  
When the man left, Izumi placed a quick call to Renji, the phone instantly being picked up.  
  
"So any news on who was pursuing him?", he asked quite eagerly for some information.  
  
There was a pause on the line, and then a disappointing reply came through.  
  
  
"Not yet, I've been having a hard time getting anything conclusive on the incident. The police are currently still investigating. As of now I'm trying to get some security feeds from some of the local shops through our sources. It was definitely a few blocks away from Takaba's last stake out, and close to where I found him during the chase… " Renji calmly spoke.  
  
" _However_ , it seems unlikely to be the same group from that particular night. I could be wrong, since I didn't close in enough on the premises, myself, during the meeting." he suddenly paused and hesitated,  
  
"Izumi…  I don't want to speculate, yet somehow I don't believe this was even about Takaba's scoop or film anymore… Just the brat, himself." Renji concluded his findings grimly.  
  
  
Izumi bit his lip. "Well, that's… That's not something Asami-sama will be looking forward to when we get back.", trying not to sound irritated, as concern struck a chord in him.  
  
"I know. ", Renji agreed with a sigh.  
  
"Has… Has Asami-sama mentioned anything else to you?… Takaba is secured, correct? So why the sudden change in plans?" Izumi inquired. Realizing Asami seemed very preoccupied and never really gave him a full update.  
  
"No… he hasn't said anything…" Renji replied, "I've been thinking about it myself. The brat seemed very distracted and afraid of something. He wouldn't say what was wrong. When I was at his flat this afternoon, he was insistently leveraging with Asami-sama for his return. As if he was more worried about the boss' well being rather than his own. And —"  
  
As Renji meant to explain more, both of them heard the cut in on the line, as another call was intercepting through.  
  
"I have to go. Be more vigilant as of now, and try to stay in contact with me every few hours." Renji advised.  
  
“Very well. I'll talk to you soon." Izumi agreed and ended the call.  
  
With the conversation finished, Izumi drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He was wondering if another spoiled enemy was brewing plans that they weren't aware of. His instinct was starting to kick into overdrive, but he didn't want the insecurity get in the way of his decisions, either. Instead, he started making a few calls to the clients listed in the planner, filling them in on the postponements. Afterwards, he began to prep the next set of documents that Asami had left for him to skim through. About another twenty minutes passed, when the handle on the back door was pulled. His boss slid into the seat with an amused grin, indicating things went very well for him.  
  
"Next meeting, sir?" he asked while looking in the rear-view mirror.  
  
Asami nodded as his subordinate passed him the next set of folders. He started looking over the proposed contract, while the car began to hum and move. Suddenly, the brakes were slammed, his paperwork scattering down to the carpeted floor. It made his heart stop for a moment, his eyes narrowed, as he quickly stared into his subordinate's reflecting in the mirror.  
  
"Sorry, sir…" was quietly muttered. "My fault."  
  
Taking a ragged breath, Asami took out his cigarettes and impatiently tapped one stick out. The car started to advance once more onto the street, while he flicked the lighter on. His firm look stayed on the road ahead of him.  
  
 _Damn… Is my entire day going to be like this?…_  
  
Slowly, he began to retrieve the pages, trying to keep them in the same order like they were before.  
  
 _I'll delay the next meeting by thirty minutes. It should give me enough time to relax this anxiety._  
  
Exhaling thin smoke through his lips and nose, he dumped the documents onto the empty leather seat next to him. His dense fingers ran through his dark hair in frustration. Nothing had ever taken a toll on him to get this easily troubled, he could recall an incident or two though. And now, ever since his conversation with Akihito, something started to feel not right anymore.  
  
 _Am I over-thinking things too much, and throwing it out of proportion?_  
  
He began to debate between his heart and the righteousness of his mind. If he decided on doing this or that, will the outcome result to be good or turn bad. There was that tugging edgy feeling that he dreaded when he wasn't so sure which direction he should follow anymore. He hated having doubts, they provoked him into making irrational decisions sometimes.  
  
Taking another deep drag and exhaling it, he picked up the documents once more and began to reread them over again. Even after the car had parked near the location he was appointed to, he didn't move from his seat and continued on with the reading, trying to focus on the words written yet they kept slithering out of his mind the minute he went through them. He never felt so unprepared for a meeting before as this. After knowing he was already half an hour behind, he finally stepped out of the vehicle. It was a little past three in the afternoon, as he straightened out his suit and hoped everything would go smoothly like the previous encounters.  
  
But hope was sometimes never good to count on, the meeting ended up longer than he had anticipated. With breaks included, he spent a little over two hours behind the round table, negotiating. It was one of those gatherings where party 'A' agreed on a particular issue of the contract, while party 'B' wasn't too happy about it. And when party 'B' finally became satisfied with the new decision, party 'A' would disagree to it. By the time it had all concluded, he wandered outside of the office building tense and in need of a desperate smoke.  
  
A headache was forming, and he brought his forefinger to his temple and tried to massage it away, along with any uncertain thoughts that were instantly returning. The meeting was only a mild distraction for him. Flipping his phone open, he checked for any missed calls. Only a couple of messages had popped up on the screen. Inhaling, the misty vapor deep into his lungs, he dialed for his voicemail and began to listen to them.  
  
A few were from clients that just became aware of the rescheduling. Another one came from a client he had a meeting with the day before. There was a small request for him to stop by if he could, just to iron out a few more details about the proposition that was agreed upon. He considered the situation he was in, and that it was getting late. He wanted to keep his promise to his lover.  
  
There was one final message that he really wanted to hear, and it set him at ease from his notions. Things were still under control and Akihito hadn't woken up yet. Meaning no dreams had set the boy off or a really strong sedative was used. He exhaled with relief, as he finished off the cigarette. Izumi was waiting on him patiently by the car, so he began to stroll towards it.  
  
Settling in the car again, he relaxed from the motions of the meeting. Sunset was going to approach in at least an hour or so, and he knew by the time they would be back in Tokyo, nightfall would be upon the city. He was getting tired and wanted to forget his worries, but Akihito's warning played in his head, reminding him to stay aware.  
  
He made a last minute decision as it grew heavier, but he always had the concept of 'killing two birds with one stone'. He didn't want to waste time and since it was on the way down to Tokyo, he'd rather get at least that one small part done for the end of this trip.  
  
"There's a small change of plans. We'll head back down to Sakado, making a short stop over and then head home from there.", he requested quietly.  
  
  
They sped out of the city fairly quickly, heading back on the expressway towards the other town. The car ride was completely silent for the time being, his eyes stayed on the road almost getting mesmerized by the passing of scenery. About forty-five minutes in he snapped out of the dazed feeling, as the speed suddenly declined to a halt. He knew they haven't reached the depths of the town yet.  
  
Asami spotted blue and red lights flashing up ahead of them, and saw some vehicles pass in the opposite direction. His eyes narrowed, knowing this wasn't good for them. Izumi kept the car running, and quickly stepped out of the vehicle as a police officer approached his direction. Asami just sat there tapping his finger impatiently on the door's armrest, watching the conversation between the two men.  
  
The horizon around him was dimming into a musty orange color, and he started to feel bad in the mist of it. He made a promise to Akihito, even though now it was partially already broke. He suddenly didn't want to make any more delays than he had to. When Izumi reentered the car, he had a displeased expression on his face. Asami could tell just by the look in the brown eyes.  
  
" What happened?" he asked right away.  
  
  
"Asami-sama, I'm sorry, we can't go through this way… The expressway is cut off due to a serious accident up ahead. Seems like a semi-trailer has flipped over on its side, blocking all the lanes. "  
  
Asami nodded, the word 'accident' sparking something in his head. He waited for his man to continue.  
  
"They won't allow us to pass, and are uncertain when the road will be cleared. The officer instructed me to turn around, head back a bit north and turn on the nearby highway, and then reroute back down through Tokigawa to Sakado. It would take a little more time than you expected, sir."  
  
Izumi relayed the information almost swallowing his last breath, realizing the instant change of demeanor in his boss. The man originally was eager to finish things up here right away, and now it wasn't possible. The hard gaze he was receiving almost made him want to wither in his seat.  
  
  
Asami didn't like his options, not having enough of the road nor the remaining daylight. What bothered him more was the time he thought he had seemed to be gliding away from him.  
  
"So we have no choice but to go north at the moment.", he spoke flatly, finally coming to a firm decision.  
  
"Forget stopping in the city, just find the nearest exit that will lead us towards Tokyo." His voice sounded full of irritation, even to his own ears. "And try to find the quickest routes, where we can speed through quite easily."  
  
Asami had asked for the small detour to return here, but now all that was on his mind was regret and Akihito's warning again. The words kept echoing in his head, his eyes narrowed gazing around their unfamiliar surroundings.  
  
 _That accident is not far from us, right on our path.  
  
What would have happened if I had finished the meeting early?  
  
Would I have been involved in it? Or is the timing off? Or…_  
  
Grinding his teeth, he hated when there was no control over the situation, when it slipped between his hands and out of his grasp. His instinct wasn't indicating much, he just tried to believe the words the boy left. But even to consider the forewarning, and unsure when and where it was going to take place. It didn't help him much.  
  
 _What if he was wrong?…_  
  
  
Izumi turned the car around, and pressed the gas petal for more acceleration. The car sped through the lanes, while a few cars passed by only to meet the same detour. He weaved in and out of traffic, trying to make their way back up partially before finding the right exit for the highway that would set the new course for Tokyo. Izumi wasn't familiar with all the interchangeable highways throughout the area, as they barely did a lot of business out of the main city. Some of the towns were small and still increasing, as other areas were covered in farm fields.  
  
It seems like his boss wanted to expand his business further up, which is why they ended up all the way out here. Izumi, himself, had spent hours working with the man, allocating all the meetings properly and carefully. Now all of that seemed to have gone to waste, as well. The sun had hidden its face, as the dark tall trees loomed against the countryside range.  
  
Switching on the headlights for better visual, the next exit finally came up that he needed. However, once on it, the route didn't look like a highway as he expected, yet still indicated to head in the Southeast direction towards the city. He pursed his lips out of minor concern, hoping he hadn't made a wrong turn and pressed the petal further to full acceleration, making the car fly through the shadowy passage. Eyeing every mirror once in a while as he drove. Other times, he would slow down on curves for safety reasons, considering the caution that Asami had given him earlier in the day.  
  
The road really was a dark quiet one, probably the less traveled kind. There was infrequent lighting along the way, to preserve a natural inhabitant for the wild. They came across three other vehicles as they drove, and out ran another one that was taking its time. At some point it got empty, giving him an advantage to speed a little more often where he could.  
  
 _Why is the boss so damn edgy?… I could feel his eyes practically penetrating the back of my head._  
  
Ever since it got darker outside, he felt completely uncomfortable in the man's presence, even though he worked with Asami for years and was always under constant pressure. _But still._ His dark brown eyes scanned the GPS once in a while, looking for another major road to connect to, from the one they were on. Two of them that he could have used were occupied or closed off by ongoing construction. Though, seeing how fast he could go on this side road, he wondered if it was the fastest after all compared to the other options.  
  
Hearing the partition rise up half way, it was an indication his boss wanted to have a little privacy for himself, yet still keep his eyes on all the surrounding areas. Izumi slacked his shoulders from the tension he held, his back leaned into the seat more comfortably for the remaining, almost, fast drive home. They lost some time heading north, and noticed the sign for Honjo district disappear behind them a few minutes ago.  
  
 _At least with this pace we'll make it in less than two hours into our busy streets._  
  
  
Asami reclined his head back against the headrest. He tried not to think about anything, his heart was making it harder through each passing moment as it was. He recalled the night he made love to Akihito, even though he was slightly vicious with the foreplay, yet, very passionate at the end. A smirk crept on his lips. Those quiet sweet words that slipped out of Akihito unintentionally reverberated in his head. And then he squeezed his eyes shut hard, and blinked the memory away.  
  
 _I should be taking this more seriously…  
  
What happened earlier maybe wasn't it… and I know deep down it wasn't Akihito, himself, warning me but the deeper part of him._  
  
An image of Akihito and the way he looked when he came after him drifted right back into his mind. The young man really had many ways of surprising him, even when it came to the small gift. A light smile traced his face for a minute. He was holding onto his cell phone tightly, his thumb tapping on the speed dial button. They were at least three hours behind schedule, and he wanted to call Renji to find out how things were. The other part of him didn't, since he had enough to worry about on his way there and not much more could be done.  
  
 _This isn't right, I shouldn't be shaken by words or strange premonitions._  
  
Darkness had completely swallowed up the skies, as they kept their smooth speed on the road. He felt part of his instinct of fear creep into him. His pride stomping it out, keeping it at bay as much as possible. After too much resolve against which feeling he should really go with, the emotion faded and settled down entirely. It only left him more confused about what was really going to happen. He shut his eyes, once more.  
  
 _There had been too many coincidence before. Perhaps I should have reconsidered this trip all together… but he was acting fine when I left.  
  
What if... Ugh... I shouldn't have induced his sleep and found out more…_  
  
 _All this thinking…  It's going to drive me crazy soon._  
  
He released a gusty exhale, and in the end somehow calmed down, as his mind slipped into a dim sleep. A few moments of peace must have passed swiftly, and just as he cracked his eyes open, they were tarnished in mere seconds. A harsh impact was felt against the car, jolting him upright. His mind raced, while he looked to the right side from where the hit had vibrated from. In the darkness of the wooded ravine that they seemed to be now driving through, a faint shape of an unidentified vehicle skinned against his.  
  
The other driver had a dark tinted car and kept his headlights off, concealing himself in the misty shadows of the night. He didn't know who or what he was up against. Its action had stunned Izumi off guard, even though the man stayed vigilant throughout the entire drive.  
  
Akihito's voice crept into his mind, yelling at him to come back, and now he knew what the boy meant.  
  
 _Is this really it?_  
  
  
Izumi pressed on the gas petal, veering the car off to the left lane slightly, trying to shake the maniac off from his side. As their car accelerated, so did the one that scuffed them. He didn't know the road well, and had to keep himself more alert of every sign that kept popping up, including one indicating a sharp turn coming in less than a few kilometers.  
  
  
Asami pulled out his gun from his underarm holster and was about to open his window to shoot out the other's tires, though the ominous car suddenly pulled back from their side. He decided against it then, in case the other person could be aiming at him, the windows kept him safe from other harmful possibilities.  
  
"Izumi, can you outrun him?" he yelled urgently to the front.  
  
The other just shook his head in a doubtful manner, focusing on the narrow wind in the lane. Both cars skidded on the sharp turn that came, tires screeching loudly in the quiet night. He felt the vehicle sliding towards the outskirt of the curve. His subordinate had a hard time maintaining control over the car.  
  
 _Who are they? How did they even find us out here?_  
  
Never did he think that someone would try to run him off the road, and in a secluded area.  
  
 _No one could predict which road we would use…_  
  
 _Perhaps it’s a drunk driver having a wild ride?… or some brat engaged in a drifting race…_  
  
Golden eyes widened. _Unless…_  
  
Just as the thought ran through his mind, he heard an engine roar loudly from behind and suddenly the other car sped up along side and slammed hard into the driver's side, again. Izumi grunted from the hazardous collision, as the hit disarmed Asami at the same time, the gun getting knocked out of his hand. The other car started to press into their side door, grinding the metal and accelerating with everything it got, edging their vehicle to be shoved off the road.  
  
  
Izumi firmly gripped the steering wheel, pouring in all his strength to gain back control, his pulse skyrocketed with the intense action to keep them both alive. He wasn't sure what sign he had just missed in his view, and now had to concentrate even more. Biting his lip, it was hard to maintain their vehicle as he tried to speed up again, away from the other car's aggressiveness. And again, the other vehicle veered away from his side, only to swerve back into them instantly once more, roughly and forceful.  
  
This time Izumi's control was crushed and banished from his hands, the steering wheel spun out at a fast rate, singeing his fingertips. His eyes widened, and he tried to shield his face with his arms from the dark view ahead. The vehicle crashed through the steel rail barrier and went over a small mound.  
  
  
Asami didn't have enough time to strap himself in or hold on. His head hitting the side of the window frame with full force as the car rolled over once, the sound of metal scrunching all around him as it did, before landing back upright in an area surrounded by darkness.  
  
He found himself leaning heavily against the side door, holding a deep breath, and heard screeching tires race off on the asphalt above them and descended away. The air slowly escaped his lips, as the adrenaline rush was subsiding, realizing they were still all right. Asami was relieved from that point on. Whoever decided to run them off must have been really out of their mind to escalate it that far against him. His instinct drove him on, knowing the act was done purposely now. Someone knew his exact whereabouts throughout their entire trip, probably since the time he had left his city.  
  
Blinking his eyes rapidly, an unfocused view entered his line of vision. The right side of his forehead stung severely, warm liquid trailed down the side of his face and cheek. His body felt numb in certain areas, shaken up from the roll over they just had.  
  
"Izumi..." he called out in a rough voice, and was met with silence. Golden eyes followed to the front of the car, only to see the streaks of light pointing out into the dark evergreen trees. A faint simmer of smoke rose from the dented hood. The dimming light within the interior flickered and stabilized. He tried to open his door, pulling on the release handle and putting all his weight onto the panel. It wouldn’t budge at all.  
  
 _Damn… is it auto locked?…_  
  
"Izumi..." he called out louder, a small grunt had responded to his voice, but not what he wanted to hear.  
  
It only indicated that his right hand man was seriously injured, and most likely barely conscious, too. Asami tried to slide the window down, flicking the switch a couple of times, however, the mechanism also failed on him. He shifted himself off the door slightly, and tried to break the window free with his elbow. Even with the small lightening cracks in it, his forceful hits only added a few more. It wasn't enough and it slightly diminished his hope, registering what it meant. They were locked in on all sides with no way out.  
  
 _Is this what he meant by trapped?…_  
  
His energy was dimming quickly than he anticipated, Asami searched for his phone, as it had slipped out of his grip from the first initial impact. Now his eyes spotted it on the floor near the opposite side of the seat, right next to his weapon. Looking at them, they both seemed so far out of his reach.  
  
As he bend forward towards it, his vision spun out in front of him, and he leaned back against the seat with a thud. His pulse had quickened and he took careful breaths, as jitters began to run down through his limbs. He unfortunately had to hold himself back, sensing he was possibly in an unstable condition. His eyes slowly combed the darkness that surrounded their isolated location. His vision doubled and refocused, making him feel very lightheaded.  
  
  
His fingers dipped into his breast pocket, pulling out the one item that could calm him. The chain clinked as he wound it around his fingers.  
  
 _Someone will find us…  others should come by this way…  they will notice._  
  
His hold tightened around the bracelet.  
  
 _Akihito… Ugh… What can I say… What will reach out to you?…_  
  
He stayed very still, wanting the swaying motion to stop in front of his eyes. While gazing and watching out for any lights from the road above, waiting to hear anything from the outside world around them. However, after a while not one had zipped through the accident scene. His mind began to slip in and out, he forced himself to stay awake, hating that he was weak in any way including from a head injury. Inevitably, unconsciousness overwhelmed him faster than his will of prevention, sinking him into its shadowy pits.  
  
  
  
  
A warm feeling aroused him, making him stir to whatever was giving off the resonating heat. He groaned a little from the massive migraine that was blocking each of his notions. When he opened his eyes, he only saw the darkness of the forest, and the glittering dim stars above through the tinted window.  
  
 _No one has found us yet?…_  
  
Panic filled him, wondering how much time had passed and how long he'd been out for. Yet, it wasn't what captured his attention. A soft glow began to reflect in the glass, growing brighter and stronger suddenly. Something so familiar to his heart that it caught his breath. Tilting his head slowly towards the other direction, he came face to face with his lover.  
  
"Akihito..." his hoarse whisper broke the eerie silence of the atmosphere.  
  
 _How did he get here??_  
  
The other looked at him, with near tear filled eyes. The boy was sitting next to him, dressed in his causal clothes, the ones he was so used to seeing him run around in. And even though those slim hands were gripping onto his left arm tightly, all he felt was the warmth of love run through him instead of any recognition of pain. Asami paused for a moment, realizing whom he was really with.  
  
 _It’s **not** him!… It’s his fighting **strength** from within…_  
  
Golden eyes looked into fire glazed ones, understanding what had occurred.  
  
"You were the one trying to get through to me… " he spoke lowly.  
  
The other nodded, but panic just as easily filled the younger man. The boy seemed to be frightened, intimidated by something. He started to fidget, looking hastily all around. His wild eyes widened when his gaze fell upon the windshield and then quickly back to him. He started to cry out, his voice echoing in the atmosphere.  
  
 _"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, I tried to stop this… from happening… But I couldn't… I… "_  
  
Asami just observed his flustered lover carefully, the spirit seemed to have fought through some harsh condition. There were scuff marks on his face and hands, noticing now the slashes in the sweatshirt. It was like the boy went through a battle just to be here. Yearning to reach out to the boy, to touch that worried face as streaks of tears slowly made their way down the cheeks. Expect, he felt too weak, unable to even lift his arm.  
  
 _Stop what? Preventing this whole incident… is there more to this?_  
  
Akihito started to get more hysterical, twisting and turning around in the back seat but never letting go of his arm, or would grab onto his hand that contained the special item.  
  
" _You can't have him… I won't let you **hurt** him…_" the boy shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to keep that burning flame within him strong and bright through the driven fear.  
  
Golden eyes scanned left and right, looking for what the other was talking about and trying desperately to ward off. Making an effort to understand what was even happening.  
  
 _Am I trapped in a dream…  or in between?_  
  
In a flickering moment he saw it with his own eyes, a dark heavy mist emerged through the cracks and seams of his car. It was seeping in and steadily absorb the air that surrounded them. It didn't seem to affect Akihito much, instead appeared to be coming directly after him. He could feel his breaths get shorter and thinner the minute the demonic energy touched his skin. He felt like something was sucking out his very life from within.  
  
 _Is this death?…_  
  
 _"No… **NOOOO… STAY AWAY!…** "_  
  
The boy screamed franticly, words echoing in and out, getting further from the depths of his mind. Warm palms pushed against his chest with some force, the only action that ceased whatever was happening to his body and consciousness.  
  
Akihito was the very thing that was bearing him to stay aware more or less. The mist enclosed around them, all he could see was its entrancing murk drawing him further in. And the light from the fire blazing eyes caught his dull ones, keeping him sane and in place.  
  
 _"I love you… **Don't** ever forget that…"_ Those words were whispered to him, the boy fell upon him, winding his slim arms tightly around his neck and back.  
  
Thin warm lips covered over his, taking his breath, keeping the moment pure to their memory. Asami glanced to the side, seeing the outside scene around them twist and turn, like the world was warping into an even gloomier place. Yet, Akihito's own light begun to brighten and shine, feathers rising all around them, wrapping him in a protective cover. Asami felt its beauty, and the loving warmth of Akihito's spirit. It was the last thing his consciousness retraced as he slipped away from the absurd passage of time.  
  
  
  
  
When he opened his eyes again, it wasn't to his angel anymore. Through slit blurry eyes, he saw a small light flare from the hood of the vehicle. His nose picking up on the fuming scent of gasoline and blood.  
  
 _This is reality…  I'm still in the same place…_  
  
He tried to move, feeling strangely weak, his strength giving out on him instantly. Too much of the poisonous air had gotten into his airway. Asami coughed, feeling sick and nauseated, lacking of fresh air to breathe, that he now desperately needed.  
  
 _How much time had passed by?_ The thought cluttered in his mind, realizing there wasn't any more he could spare. That it was running on thin seconds.  
  
 _Is this the way things are to end for me?_  
  
Eagerly fighting the agonizing sleep that was dragging him back down, he watched the flame erupt into a brighter sparkling flash. Wanting to get out, his heart pounded for the first time inside his chest loudly, grasping onto his uncontrollable fear.  
  
"Izumi..." he croaked out to his subordinate, noticing the other hadn't moved from his spot, either. Grinding his teeth, he angrily pushed himself forward, reaching out and grabbed the partition with his left hand, which shattered from the pressure of his pull on it. He tightened his grasp on the cuts, the glass embedding itself into his palm. Falling back hard against the seat, trickles of blood slowly seeped out around the shards in his skin. Breathing rapidly, the intoxicating air wound around him, suffocating him. His mind raced with ways of escape, and getting back to the one he loved, the one he longed for, the one he saw _just_ a moment ago.  
  
"Akihito..." the only name he could utter without making it sound painful.  
  
The heat began to intensify inside the car, amplifying the toxins inside, stealing away his oxygen, making him fall into its harmful hazy spell. The shadows swayed around against the night, as he watched the burning flame that reminded him of his lover's eyes, and the strength that was held within them.  
  
Asami wanted to fight just as much against this and not give up, to push through the boundaries that were holding him down. Clenching his teeth, he tried to move forward, again, and failed miserably. He was in no condition of getting anywhere, almost becoming immobile. He want to scream in rage, feeling the rumble in his throat, for being incompetent to do anything. The effort had caused the last gust of his power to vanish from his strong willed body.  
  
 _This can't end like this… I won't let it. I made a **promise**_ _to him…_  
  
But his body said otherwise, leaving him paralyzed against the seat and side door, his eyes slipped shut, the orange colors flared behind his eyelids. Hearing his own inhales and exhales get softer in the contrast to the crackling sounds of the fire that grew outside.  
  
All he was left with was letting fate take its final course. His striving chance had slipped away without him realizing it, and what remained was waiting for his demise.  
  
He wished for any miracle to save him, pull him away from the hell he was in. Anything to let him see his spunky lover again, whether it was on this plane or the _next_.  
  
 _ **I will** see him again…_  
  
It was his last longing desire as he felt the scorching temperature rise, knowing everything would fall into slow disintegration around him. The mist over his mind pulled him slowly away from where he belonged, and back into the comforts of an unknown black pitched realm.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

He stirred on the soft cushioning slowly, as his eyes shot fully open.  
  
"Asami…" the name hissed through his lips, his throat strained with a lump.  
  
Bewilderedly, he stared at the dark ceiling, still feeling hot wet trails of tears slipping down the sides of his face. His body glistened with moisture, the faint heat escaping his body.  
  
 _What was that?_ …  
  
His mind whirled from the delusional dream, to a point where he was just veiled in a world of darkness, unable to find his way out. This time he knew something was amiss. Squeezing his eyes shut for a minute, he tried to recall the climactic moment, attempting to reverse what he'd seen.  
  
 _I'm wrong… he should be here already… I warned him in time._  
  
 _He **even** promised me_…  
  
Getting up, the dizzy spell instantly sunk him back down onto the damp pillow. Despite that, it wasn't what bothered him. There was a constant agitation in his heart, which kept prickling him with an awful sensation. His hand clutched over his chest, the pain barely ceasing to diminish.  
  
 _Am I wrong?!_  
  
Fear took small steps into his conscious. He hastily rolled onto his side and reached out for the nightstand, fumbling through the various objects on it and finally switched the lamp on. The light blinded him for a mere second, bright sparkles washed over his vision, as the frustrating emotion took over. His hand swatted again around the tabletop, instantly grabbing the cordless phone, his fingers dialing out the number known to him by heart. Placing it to his ear, he heard the dial tone ring out twice, and then abruptly cut off by an automated message.  
  
"I'm sorry, this number is currently out of service. Please —." He hung up.  
  
That sinking feeling deepened at once, he swallowed hard trying to think straight through the dread invading him.  
  
 _It **couldn't** have happened_ …  
  
He laid still, the phone slipping out of his hand, and clattered to the floor. Riffling through his thoughts, trekking back to the dream that was slowly gliding away.  
  
 _It was the same… yet not… some of the events had taken a strange turn._  
  
He was there in the car just like last time, trying to wake up his lover, attempting to break free before the fire was bound to engulf them, but something threw him out again.  
  
Recalling a point where he was surrounded by a thick black mist. It obstructed his sight from seeing everything. He felt its sickening energy zapping away his strength and filling him with terror. Simultaneously, some sort of power source faintly became apart of him, protecting him from it, and kept it somehow at bay.  
  
At a faint glimpse, he saw the car's front consumed by red flames, but there was a peculiar light coming from the rear windows. It wasn't like the fire, as it emitted a softer glow that calmed his panicked emotions.  
  
 _It was almost like the feathers that wound around Asami when the warnings came._  
  
That moment became fractured in seconds, suddenly turning for the worst in the blink of his eyes. The car was swallowed up in the fiercely enraged inferno. And just like before, his attention got distracted by the same vehicle that stood at a distance, away from the scene. He watched the young man walking away with the fuel tank. His face still appeared unclear to him. The sound of screeching tires echoed away as the reminiscence of the burning vehicle made him sick, again.  
  
Holding his breath, he pushed down the urge. His fingers ran through his damp hair, tugging at strands to pull him out of his twisted thoughts, as confusion began to consume him. Aware that the message seemed to have lost itself somewhere, its words missing this time from the others.  
  
 _What am I suppose to look for?… I warned Asami, so why did the dream return?_  
  
 _Why did it only change a little?… Is it… still going to happen??_  
  
 _And that guy… Who was he?_  
  
His eyes widened and then narrowed in no time.  
  
 _The pictures… it could be… no… it has to be him… It all started when I took them_ …  
  
He sat up slowly this time, scooting onto the edge of the bed, and stiffened. Overlooking himself, he was still wearing clothing from the afternoon, and spotted a stain on his jeans that had taken a different color.  
  
 _Wait… How did I fall asleep?_  
  
Looking to the nightstand, the digital clock blinked out three-thirty in the morning. An uncomfortable feeling stirred in him. He thought hard on the last thing he had done.  
  
Moving his tongue around in his mouth, the after taste had an odd residue and his throat was very dry. Realization dawned on him of what had passed.  
  
 _The orange juice??? Was I drugged?_  
  
Clenching his teeth, he stood up quickly from the bed, and swayed as fury took over him swiftly.  
  
 _I can't believe they drugged me!_  
  
His hands balled into fists, and he stormed towards the bedroom door. Yanking it wide open, not caring how far it would fly or cause damage to the wall as it hit loudly. Marching into the narrow hallway, he stepped into darkness, and slowed in his steps.  
  
 _Isn't anyone here?… Not even a guard?… That's strange_ _…_  
  
He stayed close the wall, his hand extended and tracing along it as he went, stopping momentarily when he bumped a table edge with his knee, and heard something wobble. After a couple more seconds of searching for the light switch, he found it further along the surface and clicked it on, brightening up the small space of the foyer. His eyes adjusted and scanned the flat. Finding no one around, not even on the couch.  
  
He rapidly rushed across, bursting straight through the study's door, and stood in its dark threshold, finding it also empty.  
  
 _He hasn't returned_ …  
  
 _Did he lie to **me**?_  
  
He didn't want to think that way, didn't want to let it even cross his mind. His heart felt split at where he should be or what he should do. He wanted to wait, but the promise was already broken. Asami wasn't here. Just those thoughts alone made him worry, yet angry. The imprint of the dream made him lose his confidence even more.  
  
Part of him wanted to return to his apartment to double check his photos and find out if it really was the same man in his nightmares. If that person was the reason his lover was in danger now, and him as well. And then there was that stormy edge within him. He was furious that he was lied to, and fell for that crude trick to begin with. Finding it hard to reason with being deceived.  
  
 _Hmph?!… Was that their way of keeping me in one place?  
  
But I wasn't planning on leaving…  
  
I **gave** my word to Asami_ …  
  
He gripped the doorframe tightly, and then swung around towards the main door of the penthouse. He didn't want to stay here anymore.  
  
Akihito quickly slipped on his runners, and grabbed the doorknob with some force. Turning and twisting it, pulling at it, frustration took over when he realized it was locked. It seemed the door had some automatic trigger on the other side, and he had no way out of the penthouse. It left him trapped in the four walls of the spacious flat. He banged his fists a couple of times in anger against the wooden panel. Carelessly, letting the pain pass through his arms.  
  
 _Do they take me for a child or something?_  
  
Being alone right now wasn't what he wanted. He needed to find answers to everything he questioned so far. Backing away from the door, he went to the small side table near the door. Picking up the phone again, he dialed out the same digits as before, only to have the same message echo back.  
  
He slammed the receiver down hard.  
  
 _ **Where** is he?… Why isn't he here yet? Why isn't anyone here?!_  
  
His patience was so low, his outrage clouding it all. Not only were his dreams disturbing, he could barely call it sleeping anymore.  
  
He went to the door again, this time placing his ear against the cool surface. Calmly, he listened if anyone was on the other side, after half a minute it was only deafening silence, until he heard the ping from the elevator.  
  
He was wondered whether he should try the doorknob again to gain some attention from any of the guards. His instincts took over and he fumbled with the piece of metal loudly, once more. This time someone grabbed it on the other side, stiffening its movement. Hearing keys jingle, the panel was unlocked and jarred open.  
  
At first Akihito peered through the slit, deciding if he should fling the door wide open and bolt through really fast. He would have done it, but the tall, dark haired man obstructed his way by leaning into the doorframe. Akihito didn't recognize him and thought he knew most of Asami's men.  
  
"Um, who are you?" he muttered quietly through the small space, with defiant eyes towards the man.  
  
Dark brown spheres gazed down at him, a smirk crawling across the other's face.  
  
"I'm Eisei, Takaba-san. I work in a different department for Asami-sama… I'll be taking care of you for the rest of the night." he cooly explained.  
  
Hazel eyes narrowed for a moment, trying to pick through his mind of what other departments Asami even had. Not that he could name any of them. The man was so secretive when it came to his business, not to mention a yakuza.  
  
"Do you mind letting me in?" the man asked politely.  
  
"What happened to the blond guy? And why the hell did he drug me?!" he blurted out loudly instead, that it echoed through the quiet narrow hall.  
  
His ire still lingered, unable to swallow the tactic the man used. The door was forcibly pushed open, shoving Akihito back, as the man pass through and occupied the full entry way.  
  
Thrown off by the rude action, Akihito glared at him, yet was somehow being slighted. As dark eyes suspiciously scanned around the space, a monotonic reply was given.  
  
"He had to run another errand for Asami-sama… And the drugging, most likely kept you out of trouble for a while… "  
  
Upon hearing those words, Akihito knew one thing for sure. Asami was still safe and somewhere within his reach.  
  
Yet, a mocking remark still past his lips. "Figures! After doing a dirty deed, he _hides_ behind his boss." he angrily muttered.  
  
A chuckle escaped the man in the black suit, as if he found him really amusing. Akihito carefully watched as the other paced a little in the foyer, quietly surveying all the rooms from afar, and then turned towards him.  
  
"I'm going to be taking you to a different location, another one of Asami-sama's condos." Eisei informed him out of the blue.  
  
Akihito was taken aback a little by the suggestion.  
  
"Why?! Aren't I safe enough here?" he asked, puzzled by the odd request. The building was always hard to escape from even for him.  
  
"Asami will be coming back here.", he added, making his statement firm, till it faltered unexpectedly, "Won't he?"  
  
The subordinate didn't react, instead just walked up to him, placing a large hand on the center of his lean back, and nudged him out the entryway.  
  
"Too many people know you usually stay here, it's better to move you for your own safety. Asami-sama, himself, made me aware of it."  
  
It was answered with assurance, but somehow the man's voice didn't give him a secure instinct. Akihito felt dumbfounded by the change of events, as he was being escorted towards the elevator. Surveying around with his eyes, none of the other men were around, the place seemed more quiet than usual.  
  
"Did something else occur that I should know about?" Akihito nervously questioned.  
  
"It's nothing to concern yourself with." was flatly replied.  
  
There was an urge in him that he wanted to follow, daring him to run the other way towards the staircase like he always made his getaway through. Though cautioned words stopped him, recalling Asami telling him he was being a handful for his men lately.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he decided to obey the man's plea this time. There had been too many dangerous incidences already for him not to. The elevator came up after a minute, and both of them stepped into the metal chamber.  
  
Descending down towards the underground garage. Akihito glanced to the side at the man and finally summoned his courage, deciding to inquire about a small detour.  
  
"Um… Can we stop by my apartment? I want to pick something up." he asked quietly.  
  
The brawny man nodded, calmly responding.  
"Sure, it's on the way…  it'll be fine."  
  
Akihito eyes narrowed, confused there wasn't any dispute of disapproval. _Is he really that green or just easy going?_  
  
But as they were reaching the basement level, Akihito still felt a little uneasy about the whole idea of relocating. Taking another deep breath to flush out his anxiety. He decided to subside it, maybe he was acting this way because the guy was too new to him. Or his nerves overall were just getting the best of him for everything he's been through in the short span of time. At this point he felt like he was losing his mind anyway.  
  
The door slid open and he followed the other subconsciously, while being lost in the ocean of his thoughts. He faintly felt heaviness in his back pocket, remembering it was his cell and fished it out. Flipping it open, he stared down at the screen that showed no activity over the hours he'd been knocked out.  
  
"Have you seen Asami by any chance?" he uttered the question softly, while putting it away. A 'no' was given, and it automatically made him sad. His gaze fell to the dirty concrete floor, slowly trailing behind the man step by step, as the uncertainty swam deeper into his beating heart.  
  
A voice echo through the underground expanse, getting closer with each call. Yet, he didn't pay heed to it, his mind somehow extinguishing his surroundings.  
  
"Takaba!…"  
  
His thoughts wandered to why Asami hadn't contacted him first, especially after what he told his lover.  
  
"Takaba!!…"  
  
 _After all that worrying and yelling, did I even get through to him?. There wasn't even a message left for me._  
  
" ** _AKIHITO!_** GET AWAY FROM _**HIM!**_ ", the bellowing voice splintered through his notions like a knife from behind. Reverberating through him like a tidal wave the same way it vibrated through the dim garage.  
  
He froze in place and another shiver ran through his entire body, as he found a gun aimed straight at his face. Directly between his eyes, which were wide open, staring down the barrel. His gaze wandered up, looking into dark mischievous eyes. Questions didn't even have time to spark up of what was going on.  
  
"Takaba… move away from him…", the blunt order was repeated breathlessly, but not from the voice he was longing to hear.  
  
The other man was not far behind him, just he couldn't tell how close. Yearning to turn around, to see whom it was to save him now. His eyes almost darted to the side out of temptation, yet he was very afraid to make a twitch of any muscles. Opening his mouth, the words almost died in his throat.  
  
"I… I can't… he's…" he stuttered out through his quivering lips.  
  
He tried to stay strong, unable to take action. He didn't want to sound like a total weakling. Standing next to the parked burgundy car, the back door was already open, like it was waiting for him to get in.  
  
Akihito held his breath, words slurred through his ears, his focus slipping as he attempted to stay in control. He took a step back out of grasping fear, and the barrel was instantly lowered, and shoved harshly towards his chest, right across his pumping heart.  
  
His breath hitched, the demand repeated with more vexation.  
  
" _ **Get in the car!**_ "  
  
With a conflicting message following from right behind him.  
  
"Takaba, **don't** you dare make that move.", the man barked out, urgently.  
  
  
His eyes scanned quickly left and right, searching for any other option. He was stuck between the two, feeling their tension high in the air. He thought he saw a shadow pass between one of the columns, almost like a figment. He shut his eyes tightly, he didn't trust his senses any longer.  
  
Opening them up, he nodded towards the tall man. Swallowing the last breath he was holding and slowly turned towards the opening, acting like he was going to get in, however hoping to somehow slip aside if he could in any split second.  
  
Akihito was curious how close he was to the one giving him the stern warnings. In the corner of his left eye, he spotted the blond guard in an aggressive defensive pose, with a gun pointing in his direction. The man looked like he had been in some sort of fight, and he quickly diverted his eyes back to the interior of the car. Just as he made the motion of getting in, the treacherous man grabbed him by the back of his hair, tightly. Forcefully pulling him back by it, the sharp sensation on his scalp made him cringe and groan. Suddenly he was pushed, his forehead slamming roughly against the roof's edge, the loud thud echoing inside his head.  
  
Akihito felt a sharp sting of pain, his vision blanked into black and white. For an instance, he could have sworn he was taken elsewhere.  
  
A hallucination of a rooftop flared through his sight. He saw the back of a young blond haired man, sitting on the rim of the towering building. Gazing out and over the vast city, as the wind blew gently.  
  
The abrupt pain brought him back, as the man pulled his head back roughly once again, either to repeat the deed or throw him in the car. However, all action seized when a gunshot set off, and then more followed by it, thundering abruptly throughout the entire area. He didn't even have a chance to look where the bullets were coming from, compelled to stare up at the dark ceiling through bleary eyes.  
  
He screamed loudly in torment, when he was pulled down by his hair, his feet slipping out from under him. He fell heavily onto his back, straight onto the ashy floor and partially on top of the man's limb. The gripping hand softening the blow for his head against the hard surface.  
  
Akihito lay there very still, afraid to make any sudden motion, or take deep breaths that had escaped him. The silence in the dusky garage was deafening, the ringing in his ears so intense from the loud firearms. His heart beat slowly drowned it out with a powerful rhythm.  
  
Hazel eyes slid to the right slowly, only to see the dark ones look into his, _lifelessly_. There was a reflexive spasm from the body, riddled with bullet wounds through the chest as blood oozed out of their puncture points. Akihito choked on a gasping breath, as shock submerged him, instantly he averted his eyes towards the ceiling again.  
  
He didn't want to see it, he didn't want to remember that kind of gaze. Shutting his eyes tightly, he wanted to forget it all. _Everything_ that he's seen.  
  
His whole body trembled, the tension released in one big vibe. There was a shuffling noise next to him, he forced his eyes to stay closed, tightly. Unable to calm his breaths, as a warm hand touched his cheek delicately. Helpless to even scurry away from it, he wished he were in a different place. Longing to be in his lover's arms more than anything now. His name was uttered again, and his watery eyes shot open.  
  
  
Renji stared into tear-filled eyes, unfocused to his gaze. _Come on snap out of it, I can't let you go into shock._  
  
He brushed his fingers over an open gash on the right temple, the maroon liquid trailing down the side of the brow.  _Damn… this will need stitches._  
  
"Akihito… come on, look at me." he spoke lowly.  
  
Kneeling down on one leg next to him, he could tell how shaken the boy was. Reaching behind the sandy mop of hair, he slowly untangled the harsh grip that seemingly held the young man down. The photographer gasped again, it appeared the full surge of pain hadn't hit yet. Grabbing ahold of the young face with his palms, he stared deep into those scared eyes.  
  
"Akihito, snap out of it. It's over… it's…", he stumbled unsure of how to calm the other down.  
  
Quickly, he pulled the boy up by the shoulders to sit up, wrapping his arms around the slender form as he embraced him for a spare moment. The body within his grasp shook fiercely, wavers continuously kept passing through it. Looking down onto the traitor's hand, he saw more than a few locks of hair still twisted around dense fingers.  
  
Anger surged through him, but he refrained from letting it be known. Harm had come to his boss' lover, and he would have paid dearly with his life if anything had happened. It was another close call, and he didn't blame anyone for it, just himself. He didn't think one of their own would be working on a different side. As he held on to the boy, his other hand fiddled in the dead man's suit, searching through the pockets for his set of keys and access cards.  
  
The young man choked out something into his shoulder, his ears didn't quiet catch it. Pulling slightly away, he looked into wide eyes that finally appeared to be more aware of their surroundings.  
  
"Asami..." his boss' name was whispered out, " _Where_ **is** Asami?!", the question sounding so desperate.  
  
Renji swallowed, and attempted to finally rise, pulling the boy along with him. Once they were standing on their own, he could feel the other's intense stare, waiting for an answer he really didn't have. And cast his conflicted eyes down to the ground for a moment.  
  
"You don't know… do you?", the uttered words caught him off guard. His stunned green eyes darted back to the intent hazel ones.  
  
"I've been trying to get a hold of them for the last couple of hours…", was all he could disappointingly give Takaba.  
  
A worried expression washed over the young man, almost appearing as if those words alone would bring the other down to tears.  
  
The photographer took a step back from him, but Renji took a hold of him by the upper arm right away. He could see the unstable emotions running in the other's eyes, the resolve weakening swiftly. The boy had completely gone silent on him, hazel eyes in disarray swept the foreground back and forth, as if searching for some answers or trying to deal with the response he received. It appeared like the young man had gone to his own space, once more.  
  
Renji pulled Takaba close, and slipped his arm around the back and slim waist for support, while he plucked his phone out from his inner suit pocket. Speed dialing, he placed it to his ear, and began to guide the younger man towards the elevators.  
  
"Masato," he spoke out in a firm tone while he glanced down at Takaba. "Has everything been secured?… Good…", he continued to listen, while walking along side the young man as a team rushed past them to clean up the mess.  
  
He quickly stopped one of the men, by extending his arm that held the phone, blocking their way in time.  
  
"Search the body and car for any stolen articles. Also, see if you can get any leads as to why he even did it.", he ordered sternly.  
  
The man nodded and went on his way, as did they, while he placed the phone back to his ear.  
  
"Sorry… Any word so far…" after a pause, he sighed heavily not liking the response he got. Suddenly, the photographer halted in his pace. Renji looked down at him, while attempting to make a last request.  
  
"Can you get —", he stopped as Takaba's full weight slumped over onto him unexpectedly.  
  
"Takaba?" he uttered. The boy slowly looked up at him, eyes bewildered once more, unable to focus on him completely or any other place.  
  
" _Takaba!_ …" he yelled this time alarmed, wrapping both arms around the slim frame so he wouldn't drop to the ground.  
  
"I f… feel…s… dizzy…" Akihito slurred out, his eyes fluttered rapidly trying to stay aware.  
  
Renji quickly picked up the small form, cradling him close to his chest, and ran towards the open elevator that was held for him. Once inside, he leaned the other upright against the wall, while holding the rest of the weight with his own body. Placing the phone back to his ear, glad that Masato hadn't disconnected the line upon hearing the sudden commotion.  
  
"Get the Doctor **_immediately_** up to the penthouse…" he ordered.  
  
Snapping the phone shut without hearing a response, he pocketed it and lifted the downcast face with his free hand to look Takaba over. The wound was still bleeding, with the hit probably the cause of the lightheadedness. He knew it was going to be a silly question, but had to ask.  
  
"Takaba… do you know where you are?" he asked urgently, but the other only glanced at him for a second, hazel eyes slipping quickly out of focus.  
  
"A…As…Asami…" the last mumbled word left the thin lips before consciousness faded away, as the head drooped slowly.  
  
 _Damn it_ …  
  
Tapping on the cheek lightly, Renji tried to render the boy to stay awake, even though all he got in response were light moans. Hearing the elevator's ping, he rapidly picked up the frail body once more. Darting through the sliding door, he headed quickly to the penthouse entrance where Masato was already waiting for him with an open door.  
  
Carrying the young man directly into the bedroom, he carefully placed him onto the bed. He quickly ordered Masato to find some towels, and mildly wet one with warm water, while he sat down on the edge of the massive mattress. His co-worker had them ready in no time from the bathroom.  
  
"Yoshito-sensei will be here in less than five minutes." Masato spoke out quietly.  
  
Renji grabbed the soft cloth roughly, and began to clean the open gash. The scarlet color smudged across the pale cheek and spread into the depths of the sandy mop. The cloth slowly sucked up the fluid, as soft murmurs and hisses came out from the boy. The guard realized that the soreness must have started to take its initial effect. Before Takaba was too shocked to comprehend his injuries, and now things were rapidly settling in.  
  
A minute later the doctor did walk in, relieving Renji of his duty, with the boy left in the better care of the other's professional hands. He watched Yoshito from afar taking his time examining Takaba's wound, while asking him a few concerning questions. When the man was ready to stitch the small gap, Renji wandered off into the dim study room trying to figure out why things had become so complicated.  
  
  
His body was restless, from the fact that it was still the middle of the night and the short naps didn't help. There was no news to go on, as he endlessly tried to reach his boss or partner for the last six hours , and was still unable to. He had colleagues working on it, picking up recent accident reports, though nothing in them contained a black BMW. Even if something had happened to them, he debated hesitantly where to dispatch the search party.  
  
On top of that, what was getting the best of him now was his own fury of failing to protect Takaba rationally. He hoped it wouldn't come to it, but it had. Even when he released the trigger on his own man, a sliver of fear ran through him that he would accidentally hit the boy once the wild shots started.  
  
 _Why did Eisei even betray us?…  Who else was he working for?_  
  
He remembered when the man was employed to his post about five months ago. Eisei was a quick learner and pretty fresh to their security team. His background checked out to be clean, no priors of mischief or any faults, and that gave the man a privilege to work for Asami-sama. There were no hints that he had been tied to anyone else, or records of previous alliances.  
  
Renji gritted his teeth, and then held his rage in once more. The pain spread through his lower jaw, fading as long as he didn't put too much pressure on it.  
  
Eisei had lured him out of the penthouse, mentioning one of their camera feeds was glitchy in the lower level of the building. When they met up, the other surprisingly turned and attacked him instead, throwing fierce blows. They fought, taking swings at each other momentarily, and Eisei finally landed a harsh enough punch to his face. Just Renji feigned at being knocked out, it would've taken a lot more than that to bring him down. Instead, he manipulated the situation, allowing the traitor to assume he was out cold, as his pockets were rummaged through for something.  
  
 _He should have shot me instead_ … He thought drearily.  
  
Once he was certain he was alone in the hall, he picked himself up quickly, and raced down to the surveillance room while putting a small team on alert. Watching the live feeds, it gave him a better estimation of when to make a move. However by the time he realized what it was about, he hoped it wasn't too late.  
  
He just didn't think Takaba was the subject of interest. Information, documents, drugs or money was more understandable.  
  
 _Why is everyone after Takaba-san for?  
  
Is it something he has… or is it to get close to Asami-sama?_  
  
He sat on the edge of the desk pondering the questions. Exhaling another deep breath, he wished things would turn out better, and disasters like this could be evaded from now on. Running his fingers through his thick blond hair, he picked up the phone receiver in faint hopes to get in touch with the others.  
  
  
  
  
  
His view poured into dusty clouds of grey. Blinking away the blurriness, the air felt softly warm and moist against his skin. Almost like there was going to be a summer storm passing through on a moments notice. Concentrating, his eyes scanned left and right, taking in the scene. He found himself laying on the roof tiled surface, once again in a place he shouldn't be in and immediately sat up. His fingers traced against his forehead and to the back of the head, feeling mild sparks of pain.  
  
Surveying the area, it looked like the same place he had entered before, where he saw Asami standing and whispering to the mystifying wind. He twisted, partially turning towards an aura he detected from behind him. And sure enough the young man was there, the exact image of what flashed through during his injury.  
  
 _I'm dreaming, aren't I?_  
  
The other was sitting on the edge of the tall building, looking out into the enormous city. Bright sunrise colors pierced through dark clouds, as a gentle breeze rustled through the atmosphere. Akihito shifted over onto his knees, his gaze set on the man's slim back, taking in his familiar features. Finally, the other turned towards him as well, gleaming hazel eyes filled with sorrow entranced his perplexed ones.  
  
Akihito was stunned being faced with his own reflection, and somehow the abnormality of it didn't faze him. His eyes slightly narrowed, trying to understand its meaning. He wanted to speak out, yet not one word would pass his lips. Leaving him speechless to the one who was before him. He recalled it happening before, like his will to it was forbidden. Small warm droplets began to splatter one by one against the rooftop, the only sound he seemed to pick up on.  
  
“ _I failed him…_ ", he heard it through the pattering, " _I **completely** failed him…_ "  
  
Akihito blinked, unable to comprehend the voice, the way it echoed and the sense of who he really was across from. It almost appeared like he was in some alternate reality. He stood up and tottered, grabbing his chest. It resonated with a sudden ache, just like the one he awoke with earlier and couldn't define.  
  
Slowly and careful, he staggered towards his own mirror, scrutinizing him with each taken step. Staring at the boy's eyes, which were dulled to a cool casting hue. Tears swept down his cheeks, mixing with the drizzle, as his gaze briefly returned back to the city.  
  
" _Even I didn't have enough power to alter the future. I knew he was in danger and I still couldn't give him a chance to be safe… Through the both of us…  it wasn't enough to stop it…  that darkness… That_ …"  
  
The words drifted through the rain, traced in grief, lacking in confidence.  
  
Akihito reached out towards the other's shoulder, listening to what fell into his ears.  
  
 _He's talking about the accident… to be… or does he mean_ …  
  
Akihito froze in motion, realizing what had been uttered.  
  
 _Is he saying **we** failed?_  
  
The notion that rushed through his mind stopped his beating heart.  
  
" _I can't find him… I can't reach out to him anywhere… no matter how hard I try, I'm limited to how far I can go._ ", the boy cried out in frustration.  
  
The glazed eyes looked back up into his, brimming with anew tears, filled with distress and regret. It looked like the other was worn out after a long fight against something _powerful_.  
  
 _What does he mean he can't find him?_ …  
  
Akihito took a step back, the emotions in him ready to spill over. He wasn't sure which one was resurfacing faster, the anxiety of not knowing what exactly took place or the terror that something already had.  
  
"You mean Asami is… " he finally managed to whisper, his breath whisked away with the wind that blew through. The rain suddenly sped up, falling down more harshly upon them both. The other quickly stood up on the rim of roof, his gaze hardening upon the rest of the world.  
  
 _No… This dream doesn't make sense… how **can** I be talking to myself?_ …  
  
He took two more steps back, shaking his head in disbelief. The rain blended with his clothing, weighing him down with each splattering drop.  
  
" _You have to get out of here!_ ", the voice warned him abruptly.  
  
Akihito brought his eyes back up to his twin, though the young man was staring out at something far beyond them. Akihito spun around, eyeing the edging borders of the sky. A thick dark mist was rapidly heading towards them, surrounding the domain that had been filled with uneasy calmness.  
  
" _Get out of here **NOW!**_ ", the voice boomed in his ears.  
  
And he wanted to, was ready to, but didn't know how or which way was even his window of escape.  
  
His frightened eyes glanced back up at his double, who was emotionally down moments ago, now filled with a surging boldness, prepared to take anything coming his way. The fire radiant eyes glared at him intensely, hiding their hurtful feelings deep inside, that even he knew that heart was somehow immensely aching.  
  
The other's body suddenly emitted a bright yellow glow all around. Outstretching his arm out to the side, he pulled it back and swiftly swung it forward. It looked like the wind, itself, was grazed by his fingertips.  
  
In that instance, Akihito quickly shielded his face with his hands as a sudden violent gust mixed with rare white feathers push him willfully back. Knocking him out of the uncanny world and back into the one he belonged to.  
  
  
  
  
  
Akihito stirred on the soft surface, his head hurt with a jarring throb. His eyes squinted towards the window, as an extremely bright and sunny sky set into his sight.  
  
 _It's daytime?_  
  
However warm it looked outside, he felt unbearably cold within. The crazy dream left a strange effect of emotions in him. He shivered at its fading reflection, its meaning tremendously confusing him.  
  
His eyes scanned around the luminous room and where he was staying at, recognizing the pieces of furniture right away.  
  
 _Asami's bedroom… again_ …  
  
 _Has he returned yet _?_  
  
Did the blond guy get a hold of him?_…  
  
Worried, he tried to knock off the disturbed feeling conflicting deep inside him.  
  
"Ugh… Why did they have to drug me with painkillers now?" he muttered lowly to himself.  
  
He touched his forehead, this time feeling the thick bandage wrapped around his head, with minor discomfort coming from the back, as well. Then he remembered what happened, as one of the guards was intending to kidnap him.  
  
Somehow he had almost forgotten all about the incident, and wishing he really could. It scared him the way it all came to an end.  
  
 _Why did… Why was he trying… How could he betray Asami like that?_  
  
Frowning, Akihito couldn't wrap his head around the guard's decision of why he chose to do what he did.  
  
 _They're suppose to be trusted men_ …  
  
He rolled onto his side, swinging his legs over the edge, and brought himself up to a sitting position, as his bare feet touched the soft carpeted floor. Sensing only slight vertigo, he risked it and stood up. It really was too sudden, his vision spun out, and he plopped back down to the bed. He hated going through these symptoms once more.  
  
Sitting there, he waited a couple minutes as his view swayed, making him nauseous, before it began to clear up. He noticed someone had changed his clothes, finding himself in one of his black tee shirts, and grey sweatpants. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to rise again. This time supporting himself against the nightstand, glancing at his aim of the wooden door. He heard a muffled voice behind it, sounding almost irritant and pressing.  
  
Slowly, he inched his way, closing the distance to the flat surface. When he made it, he rested, leaning his back against the cool wall.  
  
 _When did walking take so much effort?_  
  
Akihito closed his eyes for a few seconds. _How can I still be so dizzy? Is it from the severe blow or something else?_  
  
He breathed in deeply, but the air always seemed to get lost along its way. Never reaching the depths it needed to within. He turned, pressing his shoulder into the wall and grabbed the golden doorknob tightly with his free hand. Twisted it quietly, he set the door slightly ajar. A dim line of light hit his face, and the view revealed itself.  
  
The blond guard was pacing in foyer, between the living room space and the main door. Back and forth, back and forth, like the swaying of a large boat. Watching intently, something had upset the man who usually had composure, almost the way his lover did. So he stayed silent and observed the scene. Hoping he would find out some useful answers.  
  
  
  
Renji clutched his cell phone in a powerful grip, the uneasy feeling making his control falter.  
  
 _Even though Izumi called yesterday, there has been **nothing** since late afternoon. He would have reported if they were spending the night elsewhere, otherwise they should have been here hours ago._  
  
 _I can't ignore the fact that something terrible has happened… Yet, why are we still empty handed on any of the information?_ …  
  
He was sleepless, his nerves on edge to a point where he felt his joints aching. All he wanted right now was some peace of mind, which he seemed far from. He swung around again, pondering on the other critical matter. He'd been mulling over it for most of the dawning hours.  
  
Instinct and experience drove him to perform in an outstanding manner every time. Yet, this time was different, undetectable, and he nearly failed. Everyone on duty was stunned by the turn of events, with the culprit being one of their own. It was underestimated that someone would even pull that kind stunt.  
  
Now, colleagues he only trusted were in the process of looking into all the new recruit profiles to make sure the mistake didn't repeat itself. Though he was unsure how far back they should go.  
  
He went ahead without his boss' permission, taking the matter into his own hands for now. He jolted to a sudden halt when his phone vibrated in his hand. He didn't want the ring to wake the young man up just yet. And pressed the 'talk' button hastily.  
  
"Renji." his response was quick, and frowned immediately at what was reported.  
  
" _Still_ nothing! On either of them?…  Damn it!… What about their phones or the GPS system in the car? It's impossible for them to be in an out of range zone for so long. " he barked back over the phone, cursing internally that he got loud and then sighed aggressively upon hearing the next phrase.  
  
"Fine, proceed with what you can." he growled lowly the order, and hung up, hating that he was still in the dark.  
  
While he had one man working on tracking the devices, another one was mapping out the region the men were in and possible routes of return to the city.  
  
 _Am I stepping out of line?… But Izumi gave me his word. We're partners after all… his silence doesn't make any sense_ …   
  
  
He was about to dial out another number and stopped as Masato burst through the main door. The man was catching his breath as if he ran through the stairs just to get up here. Shutting the door, the other leaned his back against it.  
  
  
Renji was giving him a weary look, waiting for an answer from the sudden rush about. Masato swallowed, trying to set his breathing to an even pace. He avoided to gawk at the man, who seemed very rough around the edges.  
  
"The kid is still here, right?" he finally asked quietly.  
  
Renji nodded.  
  
"Yes, he's still sleeping due to a fever. I also had Yoshito-sensei give him something to keep him a little _more_ comfortable.", he responded.  
  
Masato paled, knowing exactly what it meant.  
  
"What? Why?" the shocked expression showed on his face.  
  
Renji exhaled with a huff, casting his eyes towards the window, as it caught the morning sunlight.  
  
"I had to… It'll keep him at peace momentarily…" he paused for a second, thinking back to the middle of the night, and glimpsed it away.  
  
"And I kind of have no time for his childish ways, especially since we're in the middle of this crisis…" he uttered, "It's better this way… I just…  don't want to hurt him, if I can't keep proper control over the whole situation.", he tried to calmly finished.  
  
Renji glanced back at the man by the door, and sensed something was wrong, like Masato was hiding something vital. Asking about Takaba so urgently was unusual.  
  
Some type of alternative motion had occurred that hadn't reached his ears, yet. Even though he was in the top rank position, along in lines with Izumi and Shiki, there were times when details would slip past them, and go directly to the boss.  
  
"Masato you better speak up… Why are you asking about him now?" he asked in a low voice.  
  
  
Masato flinched at the tone, and he could feel the waves of tremors pass through him. It was true he was withholding unbearable information, and how to reveal it was even a greater task. He couldn’t meet Renji's intense glare and pushed himself off the door, trying to straighten himself up.  
  
"Renji, I've received some insight, it was relayed to me by an outside source… regarding Asami… sama." he stuttered out the name, and took a deep breath.  
  
Lifting his head up towards the fierce green eyes, encountering them, as a severe expression overcame the other's face. Swallowing hard, he almost couldn't breathe under the vigorous tension, it was like facing Asami-sama, himself. He let the rest of the information slowly tumble out.  
  
"The car was found on the side of a country road, in the Iruma district on the outskirts of Ogose… An off duty highway patrolman was driving through the area… he… when the scene was called in…", he tried to explain in a composed manner, not wanting to skip over any of the detail and shook his head sadly.  
  
  
Opening his mouth, he tried again, "The car… It was… It… ", and stopped his trail of words, seeing a shadow walk out in the corner of his right eye.  
  
  
Akihito had quietly crept into the hall, hanging onto every word from that moment, waiting desperately for the sentence to finish, to have its end. His eyes were big, wild with fear and begging, in need of knowing the truth.  
  
"Finish it!…", he whispered, his voice barely reaching the others. He anxiously stared at the man who eyed him blankly, frozen and holding his tongue.  
  
" _ **FINISH IT!!!**_ ", he shouted hoarsely, his heart hammering, drumming in his ears impatiently. Afraid of the last phrase that might slip out, yet, knowing already what it could be.  
  
  
Masato glanced at Renji alarmed, though the man himself had a fixed gaze upon the boy, hiding a flicker of some puzzlement. Masato's eyes swept between the two, as he stalled.  
  
"Tell us what happened…" Renji murmured, calmly encouraging him on.  
  
Masato's grey eyes widened, it was obvious the man was unaware of how terrible the news actually was.  
  
"But the kid… ", he horrifically whispered. He didn't want Takaba to know the details, the boy wasn't ready for that yet. He was displeased with the stern glance from the green ones, and eventually had to give in. His back fell against the door with weight, bowing his head low, he swallowed every nerve he had left in him as he continued.  
  
"Another vehicle seemed to have ran them off the road, and fled the scene. It… It was torched to the core… The informant said they got one of the doors pried open with quite a struggle and inside… ", he gulped unable to find the last terms to describe what was seen. His momentary silence filled the space, till it got shattered by breaking glass.  
  
Turquoise shards scattered throughout the flooring towards the foyer, its effect sounding a lot louder to them all than it should. Both men looked stunned in the boy's direction, who had stumbled into a small table, while trying to slowly close in on them, knocking over the vase that stood on it.  
  
The young man was visibly unsteady, supporting himself with a hand on the wall. His eyes yearning to hear it all, no matter how harsh it might come to be, and how much it was going to take out of him.  
  
Renji watched Takaba intently for a moment, recognizing that gaze from before. A confusion that smothered the mind. He glanced back to Masato.  
  
"Continue." it was barely a controlled whispered. He knew this wasn't what they wanted to hear.  
  
Masato went back to staring at the floor and quietly did,  
  
"Renji… Uh…The remains were close to disintegration… unidentifiable…", he swallowed through the lump in his throat, "They're calculating if there might have been a mechanical malfunction, and are working on the explanation of why either of them didn't make it out. However… nothing is being ruled out yet… there's just _barely_ anything to go on.", his voice trembling as he finished.  
  
He felt an abrupt hard shove against his shoulders, pinning him against the door as Renji glared down threateningly at him.  
  
"How do they even know it’s the right car?" he rumbled out.  
  
Shuddering, Masato responded in almost broken whispers, "The make of the car…  it's the same one we use. The… the license plate… it lay a few meters away from the… scene...", his voice fading towards the end.  
  
Renji's hands released him harshly. Seeing the rage and what the other must have feared was now something uncontainable. No one would want to believe a report like this, that there had to certainly be a mistake somewhere.  
  
When Masato gazed towards Takaba, he saw the devastation in the glazed hazel eyes.  
  
  
Akihito stood there, barely holding on with his strength to anything but his palm on the solid wall. The cool surface was the only real thing he could feel through his body. The other voices in his ears were slipping in and out of reach.  
  
 _It can't be… it doesn't make sense_ …  
  
Was the only thing repeating in his head over and over again.  
  
 _Dreams can't come true like this…  they can't become… **real**_ …  
  
His legs gave out and he fell to his knees heavily, it was like his body became stiff, turning into stone. Droplets involuntarily began to run down his cheeks one after another, feeling their fleeting warmth as they went.  
  
 _It has to be some kind of joke_ …  
  
A sob choked out through his breath and the strain in his throat. He was staring out, his eyes filled with horror at what was said, but really he did not see anything in front of him. Everything muddled, his vision began to swim. Emotions were rioting, ready to burst out any moment in one huge uncontrollable wave. It was as even the air, itself, wouldn't move around him anymore. His world was crumbling all around, and nothing was there to stop it from piecing its way back together.  
  
He gulped for oxygen, and was getting none into his lungs. Someone was calling out to him, his attention nearly absent. Whoever it was in front of him, he couldn't care less. Because the one person he wanted the most was already gone, far out of his reach. He felt the air suddenly get hot, his skin setting afire. He took a slow deep shallow breath, his eyes widening to the realization of the entire truth and the very definition of what he should've done.  
  
  
Renji was holding the boy by the chin, as he had knelt in front of him.  
  
"Takaba… Answer me."  
  
Trying to speak calmly through his own sentiments, he wanted to gain the photographer's attention, bring him out of the plundering emotions.  
  
Looking deeply into the hazel eyes, that hadn't even blinked once. He saw the symptoms of shock coming forward, again. Twice in such a short span of time was grave. It appeared like Takaba had stepped out of this world and into the next. When he touched the young man's arm, scorching heat ran through his fingertips. Hearing the deep wheezing gasp the boy made as he stared past him, sent a shiver through him.  
  
  
The hazel eyes enlarged with bewilderment, as Akihito's whispers broke the deafening silence that had befallen them all.  
  
"I had the warnings…" he whimpered out.  
  
  
Renji eyes narrowed instantly, striving to understand what was just said. He grabbed the boy harshly by the shoulders.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked anxiously, wanting to know more.  
  
Renji wasn't sure he could stay composed enough for this. Uncertain he could even make the right choices to calm the other down, while simultaneously pulling information out. Takaba all of a sudden became hysterical, fighting and pulling away from his hold.  
  
" **HE PROMISED ME!!!!** ", the boy wailed out, "IT CAN'T… IT CAN'T BE REAL… _**IT'S NOT POSSSIIIBBLLLEE!**_ ", the sobs and words mixed into one loud outcry.  
  
Renji wrapped his arms quickly around him, embracing him firmly like he'd done before, trying to placid the screams and the torrent of misunderstanding rambles. None of them were making sense in his ears. He wanted to block them out, but reality was he couldn't even do that. His heart felt just as heavy as Takaba's.  
  
Giving a pleading glance up at Masato, who was nervous and hesitant on what to do, he mouthed out the word 'sedative'.  
  
  
Akihito was trembling, his body burning up at rapid pace. He tired to push away from the man, and made another effort to explain, mumbling out the things that came to mind in broken sentences.  
  
"I saw it all happen… ", the words vibrated off his tongue," I could have prevented it before he left… I could have stopped him from going…" he desperately cried out.  
  
He gasped again, his eyes widening once more.  
  
"It's my _fault_ … why didn't I see the meaning of them earlier… _**Why?**_ What if I wasn't persistent enough?… ", he irregularly bawled, "Maybe I shouldn't have told him to come back… Would that have saved him then?… Nightmares don't come true like this… they just don't… " , his voice strained painfully as he shook his head, taking everything upon himself.  
  
He just couldn't stop his run on rambling or the sudden images racing before his eyes. The burning flames that surrounded him, the car that was engulfed in them. Now it made perfect sense, the dreams that had been haunting him, and how he could have, yet didn't do a damn thing about helping his lover.  
  
 _I didn't warn him in time… I should have said something the first night_ …  
  
 _What if I didn't call him at all?… _Would that have prevented everything _ _?____ …  
  
 _ _Was his return an entire mistake after all?__  
  
Recalling the last dream of his other self.  
  
 _He was the one who knew things ahead of time… I was the one who was too slow to take any action_ …  
  
He couldn't breathe properly anymore, the air stifling inside him. His fist clutched tightly, gripping into the man's jacket, as he allowed the strong arms to wind around him, hold him, and ground him to the earth and its grim reality.  
  
  
Renji tightened his hold a little more, as Masato returned to his side with the syringe ready. He immediately grabbed it, preparing to inject it into the back of the boy's neck, but the young man suddenly stilled in his embrace. Takaba's head lolled onto his broad shoulder, as the small hands slowly fell away from him, with the entire body going heavily limp in his arms.  
  
His hand trembled, his nerves nearly making him shudder for a breath. He dropped the unused object towards the wall, and moved Takaba gently down to the wooden floor. The short irregular gasps for air were all that ran through the hallway and soon enough they took a calmer flow. The boy exerted his strength in the motions of sorrow and guilt.  
  
Renji placed his palm on the boy's cheek, rubbing away the tears that wouldn't subside. The kid was running a shocking fever and he was very disturbed by it as well.  
  
Inside of himself, he tried to restrain every emotion that was almost set forth, clenching his teeth to bar his own spill. Without looking up at Masato, he gave an order in a quiet constrained voice.  
  
"Send Shiki out there now… I want him to analyze the entire scene and make sure **_if_** it was really _them_ …  Don't say a word to anyone else, **_is that understood._** "  
  
  
Masato silently nodded, and walked out of the penthouse quickly and quietly. All the tension had rattled him to the heart, just like it had the other two. He took one last grieving glance at the older man and the young one, before clicking the door shut.  
  
  
Renji stayed motionless on his knees near the lean form, his hand still unable to leave the delicate cheek, as he watched the other finally rest.  
  
 _You shouldn't do that… blaming yourself for a meaningless reason…  no one could ever tell the future… we aren't made that way_ …  
  
He thought sadly, as Takaba's confusing words still echoed in his ears. He didn't know what else to think of and how to wrap his head around it all. He knew something had been wrong with the other. Takaba always remained strong, putting up a fight to the end, yet this was something that pushed the boy past its boundaries. Renji felt terrible and his thoughts numbly drifted off towards his partner.  
  
His instincts were almost accurate, yet he didn't want to overstep his power. He should have known. Izumi was consistently reliable, and stayed top notch on everything. It's what made him the best at being by Asami-sama's side. Now, with the boy's reaction, and the prolonged absence of the two men. The doubtful and fearful thoughts intertwined, becoming amplified, and more surreal.  
  
 _Did they really not survive?_  
  
Tightening his lip, as it quivered. No one was there to see his walls slowly tear down, he stifled the deep cry inside his throat painfully. He might always look tough on the outside, but in honesty he was just like any other person. The feelings were getting harder to push back. And the burden that was to come, began to weight a ton on his chest.  
  
His gaze was mindlessly locked on the boy, blurring once in a while, as he rapidly blinked it away. He didn't feel like moving a muscle just yet, either. Everything inside him was jittery, from the tragic news, to the tension of wrath and impatience he'd been holding down for some time. The tight bind he had unraveled, leaving him with no more purpose to hold on to it any longer.  
  
With the aftermath of what fell upon them. He let the silence of the flat surrounded him, as he listened to the faint breaths of the boy in the narrow dim hall, and slowly steeled himself for the moment of truth that was still to unfold.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story 
> 
>  
> 
> **Some time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

  
Shiki stepped on the gas petal, weaving in and out of the late afternoon heavy traffic towards the center of the city. Blinking his blue eyes rapidly, he tried to keep the tension away. Staying focused on the road had been nearly impossible all the way back in.  
  
 _Asami-sama. Dead?_  
  
 _ **Impossible!**_  
  
 _The man does not go down this easily in any way. Not **like** this…_  
  
He fought with the thought internally.  
  
When he got the news from Masato of his mission, as per Renji's instructions, he was appalled at first and couldn't accept the information given to him. Masato quietly urged him to get going, and told him not to speak a word of it until he had his own full confirmation from being onsite.  
  
Now with the images trapped deep in his memory, the feeling of doubt wouldn't leave him. He took in another deep ragged breath, and exhaled it loudly. Speeding through another yellow light, as a few cars honked at him while he made a sharp illegal turn. He couldn't care anymore, he had to get the footage as quickly as possible to Renji. Briefly glancing down at the passenger seat, where the digital camera and laptop rattled from his irregular driving maneuvers. Blinking rapidly, he skewed to the right, cutting off another vehicle. The other driver swerved away to safety, sending out a loud honk at him.  
  
 _Damn… I should be more careful…_  
  
Yet, he couldn't slow down, pushing the car to the max through the street. The anxiety in him just did not want to be left behind with the speed.  
  
Swallowing hard, his mind kept going back to the scene, the snapshots repeating themselves over and over. No matter how many times he tried to flicker them away, they would still show up, imprinted in his mind's eye.  
  
  
  
When he initially arrived at the location, it was already an hour and a half or so from when he'd been notified to set out. It was tricky for him to even find the right route to get there. On the way up the winding lane, he noticed it was a pretty quiet region, even for a weekday morning.  
  
 _Why were they on this type of road anyway?… What was wrong with the expressway?…_  
  
Once he reached it, the road had been barricaded off by the police some few meters away from the site. They immediately cut him off, refusing to let him pass and gave him slightly a hard time for not having proper identification. That was until a tall man seen pacing back and forth behind the caution tape caught sight of him, and quickly interrupted the small altercation. It turned out to be Masato's informant, who was already on the inside and waiting for anyone to show up on behalf of the yakuza.  
  
As Shiki was led by him, and approached the curb of the asphalt road, he was truly stunned, spotting the torched shell of the car at the bottom of the grassy declination. The sight nearly threw him off his pace, that even now it made it hard for him to breathe. He recalled the moment, as he stood motionless on the very edge, the scene striking him deeply through the heart.  
  
 _How could anyone have survived that?!…_  
  
His gaze shifted to the left side across the pavement, and up the winding road, as multiple outstretched marks of burned rubber streaked through it, all the way from a far off distance.  
  
When his eyes returned to the charred remains, it was obvious they had been pushed off purposely towards the rail. The rest was left to gravity as the car went over and down the small mound, rolling over once or twice before landing upright to where it stood now. The patrolman that called in the crash gave him some small insight about the skid marks, and how they started up from at least two kilometers away, showing up every now and then. Proving to him there were numerous attempts made at them along the way. The man also noted to him that if it weren't for the broken rail, no one would have noticed it being down there through the lifting fog.  
  
Spinning around, his eyes slowly took in their surroundings, noticing the area was completely secluded. The mountain range was covered by tall trees, with no indication of a nearby town for the next couple of miles. He was told the car had still been fuming when emergency personnel had advanced towards it. Some of the early morning rain appeared to have helped extinguish the worst of the flames, the rest was done by a fire truck that was now preparing to depart.  
  
Being guided down the hill, his polished shoes carefully stepped through the wet grass and broken pieces of fractured headlight glass, the dented front bummer, along with the license plate Masato had reported being one of theirs. Inspecting it up close, he jotted down the number, however, he was already aware of the unmistakable mark that it was _Asami's_. Enclosing towards the spot that had smoldered to black cinders, his senses picked up on the disgusting whiff it all gave off.  
  
He coughed a few times trying to get adjusted to it, as a significant trace of gasoline lingered around in the damp draft.  
  
At first he just stood there with his equipment in hand, unsure where he should even start or what to look for. So he just watched the others for a moment. The forensic unit was all over the crime scene, trying to sift through pieces of debris for any possible evidence, while others fanned out a few feet around it. Some of the important clues were washed away by the early drizzle, and sunk into the moistened dirt.  
  
A member of the team came by and informed him they didn't have much to go on so far due to the severe degree of the fire. The remains of the car had to be taken and processed in a lab for further, more detailed examination. Just knowing that alone made it a dire reality for him of ever coming close to finding out who was responsible for this.  
  
 _How… How could all of **this** have happened???_  
  
When he finally took a small glance into the back seat, he felt himself draw back unconsciously, his dismayed eyes instantly averting towards the forest that wrapped around them.  
  
  
He rapidly blinked away the disturbing image and braked hard to a full stop at an intersection, and impatiently waited for the signal to change.  
  
His forefingers tapped nervously on the steering wheel as his thoughts transcended back to the scene, the woods were the only thing that kept him in a somewhat tranquil state. It steadied him enough to cope with the uneasy investigation, while on the inside he was enraged with vast disbelief.  
  
  
Another mark that distracted him significantly was the big U-turn engraved hard into the grass a small distance away from where he stood. Leaving him with a sense of hopelessness and more questions as his eyes followed it. Knowing there wouldn't be much to pursue on. The trail led away, towards the edge of the forest and back onto the side of the open road, which headed off into the numerous highways, towns and cities.  
  
 _How closely were they followed?… Those other tracks…  were they from the same car that hit them?…_  
  
 _Was someone else near the crash site before the authorities showed up?…_  
  
Shiki looked up in puzzlement at the inclined road, seeing the line of various unit cars.  
  
 _All the vehicles so far had remained up there?…_  
  
Taking a quick mental note of it, he slowly steeled himself for the next task at hand. Shiki was afraid of what he would see, every nerve in him trembled when he drew closer to the car. It was hard staying composed when he imagined how it all could have gone down. Overwhelmed with emotion, his hands shook while he turned on the digital camera, setting up to take the first few shots.  
  
The BMW had turned to an ugly ashy black, covered with pasty white patches from the combustion. The paint coat itself, blistered, cracked and deformed. As he moved around the disfigured form, his brows furrowed noticing the driver's side door. The metal dents and scratches on it had turned to a rusted color, as they were deeply crushed in more than once. The hood of the car was gone all together, blown off from a likely engine explosion, and laid mangled on the ground a couple of feet away. The glass from the windows had melted into odd shapes and waves, while other panels had burst from the extreme heat. The leather seats had disintegrated all the way through, leaving behind just their metal frames.  
  
There was a moment the air escaped his lungs on the next few shot. The lens catching the protruding bones from one of the angles, and he nearly dropped the camera.  
  
  
Loud repeated honks snapped him right out of the state, the driver behind him angry for stalling so long. He realized he was too distraught with the facts, and quickly hit the gas pedal to speed on forward, again.  
  
It was difficult for him to take the remainder of pictures of the interior. All he could think about was the two men, the suffering they must have gone through, their lost lives, and what was left of them right in front of him. His guts twisted more than once, and he was glad he didn't have anything to eat that morning. Once he knew he had enough, he sadly looked down at the thick grass. Mesmerized by its pattern, yet aware the pasture, itself, covered any trace of a possible sabotage of the scene.  
  
Shiki couldn't comply with it after all, the bigger questions began to cloud him. He just couldn't understand what he was seeing overall anymore. By observing everything from afar, and what was left of vehicle. Speculation was that the passengers were shut in, on the other hand this was just a roll over. He knew the men must have had some sort of chance of an escape.  
  
 _There **had** to be some small fighting chance?… At least for one of them…_  
  
 _The car's exterior is still too sound and fully intact, before it eventually went up in flames._  
  
 _So why?… Why wasn't this just a minor casualty?…_  
  
He knew all of it would have to wait, relying only on the examiners report.  
  
In the end he stayed for roughly four hours, sometimes scouring for his own clues near the scene. In time he compiled all the info he could get from the forensic team as he watched them continue to work slowly, before a tow truck with a flatbed began to back into the area to collect the wreckage. There was a police report he had to finish, which included his own statement on identifying anything that belonged to Asami or his corporation. Before heading off, he took down the main contacts to forward him any follow up details of the ongoing investigation.  
  
Shiki frowned on everything that had come to be. Any evidence used for confirmation of the remains had to be delayed to the next following day. Anything specific that they needed more conclusive data on regarding the accident itself would take days or even weeks.  
  
He recalled all the grim looks he received onsite, amplifying the dreadful sensation he already had. Everyone saw it as a great tragedy, even if it was obviously done intentionally by someone. There was no one that could do a damn thing about it. And now they all had to live with the unwanted memory it left behind.  
  
  
Sucking in a deep breath, his heart skipped a loud beat, he couldn't get rid of the unshakable adrenaline rushing through him.  
  
 _Who could be behind this?… Be ruthless enough to do such a thing?…  What were they planning to gain out of it?_  
  
 _Or did the whole thing just go wrong?_  
  
 _Where do we even start looking for the answers for this crime?_  
  
It was tough fighting off the persistent questions buzzing in his mind, as the next hardest part was awaiting its turn. He had to prepare himself at revealing everything his eyes took in to his superior.  
  
After a few more blocks, he turned the car into a narrow side alley and down the underground passage towards the garage. Braking, he parked the car in an odd angle right near the elevator entrance. He sat there holding onto the wheel momentarily bracing himself mentally, before grabbing the two pieces of equipment, and darting out of the driver's side. The elevator appeared to be in the lower portion of the building, since he didn't have to wait very long for it.  
  
The laptop tucked under his arms, his fingers tapped against its edges, as his patience ran thinner by the minute. He looked down at his shoes, still faintly smudged with some mud. He had tried to clean them off when he was done and ready to leave the scene. They still didn't seem clean enough to him. Once he was upstairs, he fiddled through his pocket for the keys while walking towards the penthouse. Unlocking the door, he crept in quietly, and shut it slowly behind him. Stepping into the space there was a sense of utter silence all around him.  
  
Most of the lights were off, setting the place into an array of uneven shades of grey. Observing through the window as blushing waves of clouds reflected the colors of a soon to be sunset. Glancing down at the floor, he spotted reflections of shattered bluish glass left behind from what looked like the vase in the hallway. The mess was only vaguely swept up, with minimal effort. Masato only told him that Renji would be waiting for him in the penthouse. He supposedly had remained here throughout the last few hours, along with the young man. Quietly, he went directly to the closed study door, opening them he found it was dark as well.  
  
 _He's not here?!_  
  
Backing out of the space, he felt confused. Renji would mostly stay in the office out of all the quarters in the penthouse, with some exception to the kitchen.  
  
 _Maybe he stepped out for a moment…_  
  
Turning back towards the main door, he gazed down the side hall. Seeing the bedroom door slightly ajar, aware the only other occupant staying was Takaba. Masato had only briefed him mildly on his drive out of the city. How the boy was extremely distraught by the terrible news and collapsed from shock. It was also only hours apart from the kidnapping incident. He wasn't surprised the kid didn't handle it well.  
  
 _Maybe I should check on him instead…_  
  
He walked carefully towards the master bedroom and pushed the door gently. The room was in a dim shade of light. Standing there in the threshold, he was a bit caught off guard by the sight. Renji was standing by the large window, leaning against the clear panel. The man seemed rough around the edges. His dress shirt seemed mangled, top buttons undone, and sleeves rolled up to his biceps. Arms folded over his chest, there was a stern look set towards the rest of the world. He seemed defeated in more ways than one.  
  
Shifting his gaze, it fell on the bed where the boy was almost sound asleep. A few soft moans were caught in the air, grabbing Renji's attention somewhat, though it appeared like the man was used to hearing them already. Green eyes suddenly averted directly towards him, most likely noticing his deep concern for the both of them. Shiki drew in a gasp, spotting Renji's lower left jaw slightly swollen, as a faint bruise had revealed itself. He was very well aware it was the result of the fight with Eisei.  
  
  
"Do you have the intel we need?" Renji asked lowly, the question still sounding too loud for the quietness of the room.  
  
Seeing the sudden change in the blue eyes, he didn't need the answer to be spoken. Looking back towards the city, he pursed his lips tightly, holding down a cursing murmur. He  already suspected the gist of what the man had seen and what was going to come. The grieving expression written all over his co-worker face just now, he didn't know how to steel himself against it. Sensing the other coming closer into his space, he shifted his weight on the window, and peeked to the side.  
  
  
Shiki walked towards the small sofa and sat down, placing the camera on the coffee table, and the laptop upon his knees.  
  
"Have you slept at all?" he whispered, taking a brief glance back, and seeing the other stiffen. "A little…" was uttered back to him.  
  
Opening up the lid as it went out of its hibernation state. He quickly tapped through a few keys, jumping through a couple of icons, and immediately pulled up random images that were stored on the camera's micro card.  
  
Renji moved off the glass, and stood behind his comrade, placing his hands on the backrest, as his fingers dug into the soft surface. His green eyes watched and took in the shot by shot frames of the destruction. At one point he couldn't look at it anymore, squeezing his eyes shut and turned away from the grim screen. It was unbearable to continue on with the rest of it.  
  
"… Asami…"  
  
Hearing their boss' name whispered out in the hovering silence, both men froze, feeling the chill run in their bodies. Renji glanced down at Shiki, grabbing his shoulder gently.  
  
"That's enough… You can go… place the laptop in the study…" he whispered.  
  
Shiki twisted in his seat to face him and nodded.  
  
"Sure…  just so you know… the forensic data of the wreckage will take some time to get completed", he responded softly, "Even so… there is barely anything we can trace back on… however the DNA should ―",  his voice halted once he saw the scrutiny in the other's eyes.  
  
  
Renji glared at the man for an instant, but from what he'd seen in the images it was true enough. Patting Shiki on the back, he indicated for the other to leave right away. He knew the boy would wake up any moment, especially after sleeping for so many hours. He didn't want Takaba catching the horrifying proof, maybe even save him from the gruesome facts.  
  
Shiki immediately collected his equipment and tiptoed out of the room, setting the door ajar like it was before. And just as the man left, hazel eyes fluttered open.  
  
Renji didn't bother leaving his stance, leaning against the back of the couch, while his gaze fixed on the bed. Watching the boy stare up at the dim ceiling, slowly trying to bring his thoughts together. He was unsure of what words to use, what hope he could even bring to the other. So instead remained silent in the corner of the room. Hearing the deep inhale of air taken and held. It was a sign to him that the young man was either in pain or had begun to remember.  
  
  
Akihito stared at the flat surface, the light from the doorway made him blink for a moment. Attempting to move, he felt depleted instantly. His body had degraded in energy, that when he decided to roll onto his side towards the view of the window, it took an extra toll on him. The motion drained the rest of his strength, causing a sluggish after effect, almost sweeping him back to sleep. An intense headache throbbed deep in his skull at its wake, and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to force it somewhere far away.  
  
When he opened them, he caught the silhouette of the burly man near the glass panel. He could see the other was watching him intently. For a second, he lifted his head from the pillow, adjusting his vision to the dim light.The green eyes just observed his every move, but the concerned stern gaze said it all. Dropping his head back down onto the soft surface, his thoughts scattered around his mind. A small crunching noise echoed out from the hall, as if something had been ground against the floor and turned into fine smithereens.  
  
His heart skipped momentarily.  
  
 _Glass shards?!_  
  
Akihito gasped, his hazel eyes widening as the trigger instantly set itself off within him. Realizing he was no longer stuck in his dreams. The memory of the guard's urgent information he fell upon flooded him, just like the sound of the shattering vase as it hit the floor. The nightmares were what stole away his sanity that very moment.  
  
Everything he had foreseen was useless to him, in the end he couldn't stop it, he couldn't save the man that meant everything to him. His heart sank to the point of where he wanted to be dead to the world. His lover was _gone._  
  
The bodyguard hadn't attempted to move towards him, just surveyed his eyes, trying to observe the state he was in.  
  
 _What does he think of me?… He probably thinks I’ve lost it… Everything I said…_  
  
A glimpse in the green eyes revealed most of what Akihito already knew, there was no point to ask anything or murmur a single word. Meaning there was an investigation going on, leaving him with just a single thread of hope. But his belief had dissolved with the thoughts of the repetitive dream and the heartbreaking news that followed.  
  
Asami had vanished from their presence. His heart even felt the missing patch, that key that made him feel complete. And he, the only one that seen the very fate, had more than one chance, still couldn't prevent it. Blaming himself was only part of his retribution for failing so terribly.  
  
This feeling tied itself around him, a thorn of pain that magnified into a tremendous grievance. It haunted him, and grew to an unbearable explosion of uncontrollable emotions. Bringing his forearm over his face, he obstructed the view of the man, not wanting those eyes scrutinizing him any longer.  
  
His teeth grabbed onto the soft silk material, grinding down on it roughly, trying to wall up the unwanted cry that had built up inside his throat. His eyes glazed over with sheen tears, as droplets started to slide over the bridge of his nose and down the side of his face. The streak slowly soaked into the pillow he shared with the man he loved.  
  
  
Renji began to hear the muffled sobs through the cloth, sometimes with a deep irregular gasp. He felt his heart squeeze as he stood there quietly. Unsure whether to leave the room, and let the boy recollect on his own, or stay there watching over him in hopes some comfort would come from it.  
  
He had one promise left to fulfill, and that was to protect this kid. No matter how bratty the photographer seemed at times, that vow alone was still imprinted under his full duty. Slowly and silently, he walked around the sofa, and then rounded the side of the bed to Takaba's shuddering form.  
  
Sitting upon the edge, he leaned in, extending his large hand towards the slender figure. His fingers gently gripped the round shoulder, letting the other know he was there for him. Gradually, his hand slid down onto the back, and rubbed in a delicate circular motions. But it only caused the young man to curl up more into the covers and burst into a despaired cry, instead of soothing it away. It took a few minutes for it to subdue to a minimal whimper.  
  
Takaba at one point suddenly turned and peeked at him, cheeks wet and flushed, as red brimmed eyes glared at him briefly with disappointment washing over them instantly. And just as swiftly, turned away from him, burying his face back under his arm.  
  
 _I guess I'm not wanted here… he's hoping it's some nightmare he can wake up from._  
  
 _Is he still blaming himself?  
  
He's been unconscious to know about any of the events taking place…_  
  
Faintly recalling the moment from the morning, he hadn't forgotten how the young man, himself, mentioned he saw the accident happen. Questioning himself, why he didn't stop the man from leaving.  
  
 _Was there someone threatening him…  that this would happen? What did he know?…_  
  
 _Is this the reason there was an attempt made on him?…  Why Eisei tried so hard to get a grasp on him?…_  
  
Frowning, he didn't want to speculate much on the problem. Even asking the right questions now, would be too painful. He knew he would have to wait patiently with it _again_. Taking in a deep breath, his mind hovered in the mixed notions of what was still to follow.  
  
Takaba has lost someone he loved, while he, himself, lost more than just one person. A boss he enjoyed working for, more or less, and admired. And, a great partner, who had his back throughout the years and was just like a best friend.  
  
"Just go away…"  
  
He heard the hushed murmur come out from the boy, that it struck him in the heart.  
  
"… make it all _go_ away."  
  
It was repeated over, and over, like the only way to break out of the traumatic spell.  
  
Renji tried to find the right words to say, and put in a small suggestion quietly.  
  
"Takaba… you know we're still looking into the matter…", he whispered, "So can you please try to hang on… and hope that ―", pausing mid sentence when he realized his own faith had faltered once he saw those pictures.  
  
The other had stiffened to his statement under his hand. He didn't know what the young man had begun to think anymore in the haze of doubts, and yet somehow it eventually did help calm Takaba down gradually for the time being. As the remainder of the day slowly wore on, both of them stayed that way until the final sniffles expired to silent breaths.  
  
Takaba didn't have any more tears left in him for his sorrow, which left the space in a bitter hush. After he was sure the boy was fine on his own and had probably fallen back asleep, Renji decided to keep the room in its dim hue, and stepped out quietly.  
  
  
  
Akihito felt the presence of warmth disappear, leaving him to his loneliness. His eyes wide open, spaced out into the distant horizon of the city, watching the shadows of clouds fade away into the distance, as the sweep of evening came. His mind stayed empty, more like he was making a great effort to let it stay that way. He didn't want any thoughts to linger in it. Forcing to hide his deepest memories and speculations, his eyes began to fog over once more. He refused to let sleep win, no matter how tiring and draining it was to endure.  
  
His body was numb to any sensation, whether he was hot or cold, or the throbbing headache that was pacing to the drum of his heart. He just didn't care. He didn't want to return to the world where he might see something worst than what he already had gone through. Unknowingly, an hour or more had ticked off, and he began to suffer the restlessness of laying still in the large bed.  
  
The entire penthouse became a tomb of utter silence to him. He knew the guards were roaming about somewhere. They weren't going to leave him alone this time around, probably bound to be more protective than before.  
  
A soft small flicker of light against the large glass grasped his attention. His hazel eyes shifted, trying to spot what it was. Thinking it might have been some sort of reflection, a plane beckon passing by or just his imagination. Though there was another flicker soon after, brighter from the one before, followed by another.  
  
Something within him made him want to move. Rising shakily from the mattress a bit, his eyes widening to the view outside.  
  
 _What the…_  
  
It suddenly looked like the first day of snow against the dark musty skies. Causing an unbearable swell in his heart, and he had to swallowed thickly, as a memory nearly overflowed him.  
  
He instantly crawled across to the other side of the bed, trying to rush over to the panel as fast as he possibly could. His heavy body slowed him down, tumbling through the covers that wrapped around his legs. Kicking the material away, he freed himself, getting out of bed and stumbled up to the window.  
  
Akihito's hazel eyes were astonished by the element. The white fluff was actually made up of _glowing feathers._ They twirled and spiraled around in the wind, the color inside them twinkling brightly, like they had a burning ember within them.  
  
He placed his palms against the cold sheet, which quickly transcended a strange warmth from the other side. And when he blinked, his heart thumped wildly, as he unexpectedly ended up facing his own solid reflection. The eyes that peered at him were strong, surging with a drive that resembled vengeance. Their palms joined against the thin sheet that divided them. It seemed like the other was saying something, trying to talk to him, as the tone was getting more profound.  
  
However, no matter how hard Akihito tried to hear the words, they weren't coming through, muffling in his ears as if he were held underwater.  
  
It almost appeared like the other was trapped in another world, as well.  
  
 _This has to be another dream… But I didn't fall asleep… How??_  
  
When his eyes focused on what was behind the bright form, they were perplexed at the shocking scene. Suddenly he, himself, felt like he had passed that gate to the other side. The city manifested itself, but not like the normal Tokyo he knew by heart. It was rampaged by the ugliness of _war._  
  
Buildings were destroyed and crumbling, black smoke escaped from various skyscrapers across the skyline, as the skies dangerously grayed with a strong thunderous storm. Glancing down, streets below were unmaintained and cluttered with trash, as abandoned rusting vehicles lined them.  
  
 _What on earth happened here?_  
  
Taking a better look down below, he saw various bodies laying scattered about lifelessly.  
  
 _Is this what's to come?_  
  
" **NO!!!** … It can't…  Someone get me _**out**_ of here…" he shrieked.  
  
He didn't want to see anymore, shutting his eyes tightly, trying to pull away from the window. Though his palms wouldn't lift off from the warm surface, trapping him in place by some unknown force. Sudden fear gripped him, as he snapped his eyes open and looked back at the other. His other self was desperately yelling at him.  
  
 _What is he **trying** to say?_  
  
Akihito felt a shift in the atmosphere, and turned his gaze away for a moment and back towards to where the door was. His face paled to the view, feeling the rushing humid air abruptly whisking all around him. The rest of the room wasn't really there anymore.  
  
It was demolished, pieces of the walls were falling apart, with the paint and bricks chipping away. It looked like a bomb had exploded, scorching all the surrounding furniture. Yet, somehow it was all deteriorating at a quickening pace instead of what would have taken over years. Through some of the large open holes in the opposite wall, he saw the rest of the city in the same gruesome state.  
  
 _This… This has to be in my head…_  
  
He was left on top of a partially destroyed structure of what used to be Asami's penthouse. His breath halted mid way from the appearance of a tall man in the broken threshold of what used to be the room's entrance.  
  
"No…" he gasped out, his eyes welled up with terror.  
  
 _It’s the same guy… but why?… He's **dead!!!**_  
  
The traitorous guard that tried to kidnap him took a step forward, blood still oozing out from his chest where the bullets had gone through not too long ago.  
  
"Now I've got you… and I'm taking you down with me.", it was grumbled through gritting bloody teeth, like the man had been hunting for him all this time.  
  
Another staggering step was taken, and Akihito flinched. He had nowhere to go, tugging once more with all his might at his hands, trying to pry them off the window.  
  
 _Why am I being held in place?_  
  
He felt an intense warmth wrap around his fingers, nevertheless the feeling wasn't enough to calm him down. The older man glowered viciously at him, like it was his fault that he died. Quickly, Akihito looked away, shuddering as he squeezed his eyes shut. Trying to forget what he was seeing, desperately begging internally to be set free from this horrible ordeal.  
  
Snapping them open, he glared into his own pair that reflected.  
  
 _Why am I holding **myself** down?_  
  
It was an odd question that rang in his head.  
  
 _What **is** this all about?_  
  
For a partial moment he begun to gain his own strength of frustration that ignited through him like a raging fire. Growling, he forcefully tried again to tear his hands away from the sheet. And, when he somehow successfully did, the world turned back into the silence of the night as it was.  
  
His bewildered eyes stared out into a calm city, and glancing quickly around, everything had returned to normal.  
  
As the other had come into his existence, now was slowly vanishing away from his sight. Revealing a deep expression of strength in the hazel eyes, layered behind a wall of indescribable sadness. The message hadn't gotten through to him in the mist of the dark strange illusion. The missed words that were repeatedly shouted had been torn away somewhere behind the glass wall placed between them. The other was slipping back into the other world, and Akihito felt his own energy drift off with him.  
  
Everything in his body strangely tingled, parts of his heart felt like they were taken. He couldn't hold his ground anymore, as his knees gave way and he keeled over, sliding down to the floor.  
  
  
  
Renji stilled when he pushed the door open to the bedroom. He had come rushing upon hearing Takaba's scream. Now, finding the bed covers ruffled up and empty, his gaze quickly raced across the quarters, spotting the young man by the window. However, when hazel eyes met his green ones, they were consumed by terror.  
  
"Takaba?…", he quietly spoke out towards the other, as he took a small step inside. The boy flinched at the sound of his voice, and began to panic near the window for unknown reasons. Taking another step, Takaba quickly turned away from him. He saw a powerful shudder run through the slender form as he was visibly struggling with something.  
  
 _What's going on with him?_  
  
Slowly approaching, he heard a deep wheeze of air taken in, which set him darting swiftly across the rest of the room. The young man was suddenly gliding down the glass panel and collapsed to the floor with a loud thud.  
  
" _Takaba!!!_ ", he shouted, rounding the couch and rapidly kneeling by the back of the slim form.  
  
The boy groaned, having landed on his right side. Takaba turned his head slightly towards him, as hazel eyes fluttered a couple of times, and then focused with a sudden stunned stare into his.  
  
Renji bit down his puzzlement, unsure how to even react to that expression. Slowly, with his guiding hand upon the shoulders, the young man weakly brought himself up to sit. And swayed away from him, to lean against the cold clear wall.  
  
"Are you all right?", he asked, his voice filled with concern. Seeing the other was still somewhat in a disarray, trying to control his unsteady breaths.  
  
Renji noticed the head injury was hit, as a red blotch seeped through the white bandages.  
  
 _He must have hit it on impact with the floor?_  
  
Reaching out, his fingertips brushed through the sandy bangs and touched the pale skin. Suddenly, he retracted them.  
  
 _Why is he so hot?_  
  
Quizzical hazel eyes swept over him.  
  
"What's wrong?", was muttered softly upon seeing his baffled gaze.  
  
Renji refrained from answering, placing his full palm over the forehead and bandages. His eyebrows furrowed, not understanding what his fingers just detected.  
  
 _Now his temperature has strangely dropped…_ Letting out a distressed sigh, he shook his head.  
  
"Nothing. Let's get you back into bed.", he replied a little gruffly.  
  
The shock of the event must have gotten to them both. Renji rose, pulling the young man up by the upper arms, off the floor and to his feet, then helped him back to his side of the large bed. Sitting Takaba down on its edge, he carefully unwound the stained strip of white cloth around the head. Tilting the boy's face up by the chin, he examined the stitches, making sure they were still intact and how to proceed. Picking up a cotton ball from the supply kit the doctor left behind on the nightstand, he dabbed the wound gently, absorbing beads of red. The other oddly didn't even react to it.  
  
"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly, while he begun to dress the wound with a piece of gauze and surgical tape.  
  
Renji glanced down into unfocused eyes, as the boy kept dazing in and out with moments of ever-changing emotions. It made him worry a bit about the thought process going through the other's mind and what he just witnessed.  
  
The photographer finally just shook his head lightly when he was nearly done, and afterwards mutely crawled back into bed, pulling the large covers over himself.  
  
"I'll… I'll bring some food over…" Renji quietly let the young man know, and backed out of the room a bit confused.  
  
  
Once in the hallway, he leaned against the side wall, exhaling a heavy breath. He was steadily getting accustomed to the boy's reactions, yet felt the extreme awkwardness between them at present.  
  
 _What had happened to change Takaba's attention like that?_  
  
 _It's like he was afraid of me just now… but I hadn't done anything…_  
  
He quickly recalled that look from months ago. That petrified glare. It ended up chasing him out of the room, however the circumstances were completely different then. Renji narrowed his eyes at the thought, he didn't need any more problems arising. Takaba was obviously traumatized, but to what extent was the issue. It was something he couldn't tell on his own, and miserably wondered if someone other than him would be helpful in the case.  
  
Slowly, he strolled out of the hall and towards the kitchen. Most of the sandwiches had already been prepared before hand, as he poured some lukewarm tea into a mug, and placed it on the tray. He recalled that Takaba hadn't eaten for over a day, so it didn't surprise him if the boy was weak on his feet. And questioned if there was even any appetite left in him now. On a quick mental note, he also left out a packet of painkillers, in case the other would be in need of them.  
  
His cell phone vibrated, and he picked it up hesitantly, unsure if he was ready to take on any more. Listening to the details coming through the line, till at some point they began to slip on him. In the end the information fell on deaf ears. It was enough for him to notice he was past his limit and too tired to deal with any additional agendas. His mind was eager to escape elsewhere.  
  
"Just continue with the current arrangements. Have everyone in their regular posts, and other instructions will follow in the morning… I'll contact you when I have conclusive facts to go on." He ordered and hung up on the line, not paying any heed to the rest of the sentences that followed.  
  
Picking up the tray of food off the counter, he made his way back to the bedroom. This time Takaba was surely fast asleep, so he left the meal on the nightstand, and tucked the medical supplies into the drawer, ignoring his boss' personal belongings. He kept the dim lamp glowing and took in a last glance around before setting the door ajar, and headed directly into the living room. It was the closest quarter of the flat for him to reach the other in any sudden emergency.  
  
After shutting off all the lights in the remainder of the space, Renji gratefully reclined onto the large sofa, and adjusted the small pillow under his head. Every fiber of strength had diminished from his body, as the darkness surrounding him filled his eyes. He took a moment to clear his mind as much as he could, which helped him glide into some slumber for the rest of the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shiki yawned as he silently walked down the hall of the fourth level of Asami's office building. It was mid afternoon with another routine security round, despite still being without any vital information. He had been somewhat waiting impatiently, however knew he couldn't rush the procedures itself. On top of that he was more exhausted than usual, unable to put himself at ease since yesterday's event. So he purposely tried to spend most of his morning scheduled with random errands, as well as keeping the rest of his team on their toes currently assigned to this particular floor.  
  
He was aware that his edginess had slipped more than once in the early hours. His whole night was an agonizing long trial to deal with ever since he left the penthouse. The images of his boss' accident constantly rolled through his mind, that some of it ended up straying into his fitful sleep. He also reflected on the fact that he had to prepare himself mentally for the imaginable that was to follow.  
  
Suddenly, one of his co-workers was approaching him at a rapid pace from the opposite end of the hall. Ichiro seemed like he had something urgent to tell him, instead the man promptly offered him a large dark brown envelope.  
  
"I've been looking for you… The police dropped this off about fifteen minutes ago at the reception desk down in the lobby.", he tried to steady his tone, his face slightly flushed. It was obvious the man was out of breath and frustrated from time spent searching for him. Shiki was one of the few that almost never stayed put in one place during assignments.  
  
The man leaned in, "The officer said it needed your immediate attention. It's regarding to some sort of accident." Ichiro quietly informed him.  
  
Shiki stiffened and shook off the remark, hoping further questions wouldn't arise from it. So far no one outside the main circle had knowledge of what had taken place. Accepting the large envelope with a nod, he was instantly conscious of its heaviness.  
  
"Thank you…" he retorted a little rigidly, and turned swiftly on his heel, planning to head out immediately to the penthouse.  
  
Suddenly, he retracted in his steps, glancing back at his average sized comrade, and eyed him carefully before the other had a chance to turn away. This wasn't the first time over the last few months that he'd caught onto the peculiar instinct something was off. Knowing the man from all the years they worked together in the same department, a small concern began to grow. He wasn't one to interfere in other's business, yet this time he couldn't help himself.  
  
"Is everything going well for you?… I mean… I've noticed you've been acting a little… strained recently.", his voice wavered loudly enough down the hall, as the other was about to walk off.  
  
Ichiro somewhat tensed in his tracks and looked back at him, startled by the unexpected observation. A small smile fell upon the man's face, his grey eyes cast down and swept over the floor. He eventually shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in what seemed embarrassment.  
  
"Don't worry about it… it's just a personal matter. My wife, she's been getting a little frustrated with me and how much work has kept me away lately. That's all…", he replied softly to the inquiry.  
  
Shiki smirked lightly to the honesty of something he wasn't able to relate to.  
  
"I guess she does have a right to be, we do have odd hours after all…", Shiki remarked, "Hmmm... How about we go out for drinks sometime and talk it over?… Maybe even work something out." he suggested, to which Ichiro seemed to like the gesture.  
  
"That would be nice, thank you." the other responded with appriciation.  
  
"Anyway, I've got to get this to Renji… I'll stay in touch." Shiki concluded, as the other nodded and once more took his leave.  
  
Shiki surveyed him as the man continued on his way. He was mindful that Ichiro was only one of the few he knew in this department with a family. Most of the others in the organization, depending on their division, averted to try. Especially the ones in his line of work as trained bodyguards. And any of them that did, kept it a well hidden secret for their significant other's sake. Although Asami-sama knew who they were either way, and took great care at handing out particular tasks to them.  
  
His fingers tightened on the thick envelope, thinking back to it in his hands. He really didn't want to know what the results were. Shiki already held the undeniable weight of knowledge within himself. Slowly, he turned around, and strolled towards the elevator at the end of the hall.  
  
  
  
  
  
Renji sat back uncomfortably in the chair, the faint daylight slithered in behind him through the cracked spaces of the blinds. Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he tried to compose himself after reviewing some of the accident's images. He was still too tired from the long night. Managing to get at least some shuteye, even though it turned out to be disruptive. There were times where he awoke to a loud moan or cry coming from the bedroom, and deducted that Takaba was continually having bad dreams which there was nothing he could do for.  
  
When he checked in on the boy during the morning hours, the food was barely touched, with just a few bites and the pills were gone. It was understandable. As he replaced it with breakfast, Takaba didn't even turn to look at him. Just lay there on his side, motionless, staring out the bright window. He left the boy alone, and decided that was a good time to switch out with Masato for a while.  
  
Renji took go off towards his own flat and refreshed himself with a cool shower and a pair of clean clothes. Checking himself over in the mirror, there wasn't much he could do about his facial injuries, which made him look more grim. The bruising showed more prominently along his left jaw bone, and just above that, the scuff mark on his cheekbone from his chase of Takaba had scabbed over. During this time he had a hard time keeping a clear conscious, he almost didn't want to go back, yet knew his responsibility and had to. He decided to grabbed a small duffle bag with spare supplies, just in case, since he was unsure what the next days would hold.  
  
Upon his return, Masato informed him that there were no changes, so he cooped himself up in the small study, and began to dig into all the evidence he had at hand. Even though his initial workload was dropped off to him more than an hour ago, he didn't bother handling it just yet.  
  
He leaned forward again towards the desk, and hit the right 'arrow' key on the keyboard. Steadily, with a more hardened heart, he observed the details of the raw image on the screen with fresh eyes. This was his second time going over the entire set, it took a greater toll on him going through them the first time. Now he was trying to find any source of inaccuracy in the scene, anything that would give him a hint that it _wasn't_ them. And answering the over all question of why the situation had turned out this way. A light tap on the door made him twitch with mild alertness.  
  
He mumbled a, "Come in."  
  
His eyes shifted off the laptop screen, and upon Shiki walking in quietly with a somber look plastered on his face.  
  
  
"This has been finally dropped off…", Shiki's low voice filled the warm room.  
  
Passing the package over, his hand began to jitter as if he already knew the outcome.  
  
  
Renji abruptly stood up and grabbed the other end of the thick envelope, firmly holding on to it. Glaring into the blue eyes, almost penetrating through to the soul, till it made Shiki take a thick swallow out of discomfort.  
  
"I'm taking you haven't looked at it yet." Renji muttered, his voice laced with a sudden edginess, as if all composure was nearly lost.  
  
The other quickly shook his head in a 'no', surprised he was even asked. Renji didn't realize the fear growing within him over this, making him struggle to contain himself. Tugging at the package, it slipped, and dropped to the center of the desk.  
  
It sounded weighted down to their ears, like a heavy book had just fallen over. Both of them glanced at it and then at each other. Stiffened, they had eyed it as if a bomb had gone off. There was eagerness to rip it open and wanting the material to be wrong about their boss and comrade. Yet, the strength to do so took much more effort than one can speak of.  
  
Finally, Renji's hesitation broke, and he picked up the brown package, tearing open at one of its sides. Pulling out the half inch thick stack of papers, his eyes began to skim through the lines of information on the first sheet. His expression changed through each context, as he moved on to the next page, and then another, till he go to the eight one. Suddenly, he slammed the sheets down onto the desk, scattering some of them out of the pile. His hot palms followed loudly onto the flat surface, one placed over a particular paragraph. Glaring at the pieces of paper, he tried to still his enraged emotions, the desk only supporting him to stand still enough.  
  
  
Shiki was unsettled by the man's reaction, taken instinctually aback by it. He already knew this was it, the tragic facts had been grasped onto. Reaching out, he slipped out a few of the thin pages from Renji's grip, his eyes scanning over the next set of intel and widened at what they revealed.  
  
"So it's… it's true then…", his voice wavered in revelation, "They were the only ones in the car… and there's nothing that ―"  
  
He stopped short in sentence when Renji gazed up at him harshly, the paper scrunching underneath the man's dense fingertips, crumpling into deep creases.  
  
Renji shook his head in disbelief and abruptly fell back into the seat behind him, taking in a couple of deep breaths. The reality of the verification struck him like a stray bullet going through his chest. This was even a crueler hit of information than the one from the day before. He gulped down the air, and picked up the wrinkled sheet once more, his eyes running through the printed text, reading it over and over, each time the words just not sitting well with him.  
  
He just couldn’t accept the facts as they were written down in large contents. The uncovered DNA samples from the car, which were taken from the bone marrow and remaining partial muscle structures belonged to the well-known passengers of the vehicle.  
  
 **Izumi Kenta** and **Asami Ryuichi**.  
  
The report also indicated the current status of the investigation. So far too much evidence had been damaged on the inside and out of the vehicle from the cause of the fire. There would be more detailed forensic tests to follow, though the process will take longer, leaving the investigation wide open.  
  
Renji hoped there would be more to come from this. The last thing he wanted is it turning into a cold case, if they hit too many dead ends.  
  
As of now, it was impossible to reveal what type of car and model caused the impact. Where the fire initially started from, or what kind of condition the victims were in while inside. The vehicle was practically a cage, sealed down by the auto lock or another internal malfunction. The heat was definitely excruciating, as the bullet resistant glass melted or exploded under its pressure.  
  
Proving that if the car had been tampered with, it was also unattainable. There was hardly anything to go on around the empty surroundings, even on those tire tracks that lead away from the scene.  
  
"This is the worst…" Renji whispered out.  
  
His eyes snapped back to blue ones. The other had been standing stock still, obviously coping with the report as much as he was. Renji knew now he had to handle things accordingly.  
  
"Call his lawyer… From here on out, we have to start making the proper arrangements…", his voice turned husky and he cleared the tightness in his throat, "As of now… it leaves Masato, you and me in the top ranks and authority. Temporarily… temporarily things will go through me…", he informed the other.  
  
Shiki shook off his unsettled expression, and dropped the few sheets he held onto the desk. Nodding slightly, he wordlessly left the stifling room immediately. Stepping out of the study, he shut the door quietly behind him, and leaned his back against it for just a second. Shutting his eyes to recuperate from the thread of emotions that ran through him. He heard soft shuffling noises disappear somewhere nearby, his mind barely paying any heed to what they were.  
  
When he finally had the courage to move, he shoved himself roughly off the panel and walked towards the main one. Passing the opening of the hall, he caught a shadow slip away at the left side of his gaze. Glimpsing down the hall, Takaba was peeking through a gap created by the bedroom door. He could tell the boy seemed to be somehow holding his breath, his jaw set tightly. As if trying to keep his own self-composure from cracking. The glance they exchanged verified the rest.  
  
Shiki looked to where he had stood and then back to the bedroom door, which now was closed shut.  
  
 _Was he… eavesdropping?_  
  
A sudden wave of sadness tide over him. The heartache he felt for the young man was indescribable. For Takaba to have to find out that way and like that, and even quite possibly too soon.  
  
 _Now he surely knows…_  
  
"I thought you already left.", was spoke behind him.  
  
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest, as he swiftly turned around towards Renji, who had stepped out of the study and was shutting its door. His eyes narrowed, somehow irritated with the man's tone and not catching the drift of the atmosphere.  
  
"Don't be so loud…" Shiki muttered back.  
  
Renji slightly red-eyed, stared at him for a second, dumbfounded, and released a deep sigh.  
  
"I'm sorry.", the man replied and looked down briefly, shaking his head lightly.  
  
  
Shiki could tell Renji was cluttered in his own mind set, and realized he was preparing himself for a task no one would want to do. The man took a deep breath and seemed to be bracing himself as he was about to advance past him towards the hall.  
  
Quickly, Shiki blocked the burly man's path, barring him from going any further.  
  
"Don't bother..." he suddenly blurted out, "He already knows… he… he heard us…" giving the quiet explanation, and shifted his dispirited gaze elsewhere, as the tension grew around them.  
  
When he glanced back up into the green eyes, they were staring past him with a grim expression, while his own held so much pain for the one on the other side of that bedroom door.  
  
In the moment of their silence, they both were suddenly startled when the door rattled loudly against its frame, and then more fierce repeated blows followed against the wooden panel, echoing violently through the narrow hall.  
  
Signifying that the boy was somehow trying to drastically cope with his sentiment of loss.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: Both guys belong to Yamane-sensei, just using them in the story.
> 
> BETA by me for mild grammar errors/tweaks/added details edited 2015/16 ( and there still might be some)
> 
> A/N – kept one crucial warning off the list about a main character, the others should suffice it, otherwise it just spoils the remainder of the story 
> 
>  
> 
> **Some time has passed since Akihito's accident. His life goes back to what it was, with the exception of his growing relationship with Asami. That is until one day the inevitable happens, and Akihito loses what he treasures. Will his fire go out with it, too?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was written in 2008 and revised/tweaked/edited between 2015/16 and its still being worked on  
> (There might still be a few errors lingering)
> 
> (Takes place on the context of before Naked Truth, and takes its own spin.)  
> \- Another side note to keep in mind. Renji = Suoh and Izumi = Kirishima since this was written before the names came up!
> 
> Not sure how often I'll update here, since I'm long way away from being done. This has been posted on my LJ before.

 

Akihito stood there, his forehead pressed against the cool surface of the wood. Not even the pain from the stitched wound affected him from moving away. The gaze the guard had just expressed verified everything he needed to know.  
  
His tired swollen eyes peered down upon his bare feet, their complexion pale compared to the exposed hardwood flooring. As his moistened palms were plastered flat on the solid surfaces, one on the wall, the other still residing on the closed door. His fingers spread out like fans, pressing into the exterior, absorbing its coolness, yet making sure it was still reality he was in. Ironically, now he yearned more than ever for a dream to whisk him away to another escape. Anything that would just take him far away from _here._  
  
His eyes had been all cried out throughout the night and the torturous waking moments. Yet, his vision blurred intensely, breaking his will to withhold the emotion. A new flow of tears still managed to spring forth as the torrent of thoughts spilled madly through his mind.  
  
 _What am I supposed to do?… Everything they said… leads to your —_  
  
Shutting his eyes tightly, trying to block it all out, as a droplet fell on top of his foot. He resisted to think of the last words threading in his head. His heart was already screaming out in pain, had been for more than a day, and now wanted to burst throughout the rest of his entire being.  
  
The final string of hope had snapped and was snatched away from his fingers that were holding on ever so tightly.  
Last night the guard was only capable of vaguely subduing his aching heart to a peaceful resolve. Now all of it was gone, the term was just a word.  
  
 _Hope… What is that now?…_  
  
 _When there is nothing left for it to exist…_  
  
The shattering words of the conversation that was held behind those solid closed doors, slithered back into him. Biting down on the bottom lip, he knew he shouldn't have, yet just couldn't restrain himself when he quietly snuck close to the study room. Hearing those dreadful facts slip through their lips. By the tone of their voices, the sudden shift in their reactions. There was no way he could deny the accident anymore. It really happened, just as he dreamt it would.  
  
Grinding his teeth, he suppressed a loud sob crawling up his airway, getting stuck thickly in his throat. He didn't want them to hear any of it. Didn't want them to come running in to see him in tears and ask if he was all right. Because he knew at this point he never was going to be the same. The wave of tremors passed through his body, as it got harder to control every sentiment in him. Redirecting his notions over and over, he began to question it all once more.  
  
 _Why did it have to turn out like this?… Didn't I get through to **you** at all?…  
  
' **He** ' mentioned to protect you, **save** you…  But we weren't even strong enough to do so…  
  
Then why did he still call out to me?…  Why did I even listen to some crazy dream in the first place?…  
  
I was the one who urged you to come back… This wouldn't have happened if I kept my mouth shut…  
  
I wouldn't… I **wouldn't** have lost you…_  
  
No matter how many times he went around it in the midst of his tarnished thoughts, the responsibility of it always pointed right back at him.  
  
 _You would have been safer without my cautionary words._  
  
The blaze of anger drew itself fiercely, releasing a harsh inferno into his already injured heart. He was lost in the swirl of unwanted emotions that were binding him down, suffocating him, and he wished more than ever to have them all banished away. The blame and the sorrow dwelled deeper into its root.  
  
His hand curled up into a tight fist, he swung his arm back, and threw it with all his might fast against the door. The rattling noise it gave out, thudded through his head and ears, beating out some of the terrible impressions that had taken place. The pain he should have felt barely strung through, scarcely making it far from even hurting. It was his heart that was coiled with agony, the rapidly extinguished hope, and defeat of the disastrous occurrence that lead to his loss.  
  
The dreadful ache was swallowing him whole, depriving his strength to hold himself up and breathe. Both his fists came flying against the solid surfaces in anger again, this time faster and harder, repeatedly over and over. Almost like he wanted to break down whatever stood in front of him. However hard he hurled his hands at it, it didn't compare to the stabbing sensation stretching itself out in his chest.  
  
The hot streams traced down his cheeks, running off with their free will. A gasping breath finally escaped him, turning into one loud screaming sob, cluttered with just one reciting question.  
  
"Why?…Why?… **WWHHHHYYYYYY?** "  
  
Everything poured out of him in a straining motion from his heart. Trying to subdue it now was impossible as it got unleashed, his will to hold it down was gone for good. Allowing his body do anything to just make him forget the torment fueling deep within him.  
  
"…Taka…"  
  
After a moment of attempting to pound out the sorrow he felt, he let the last loud beat vibrated through the door, and eventually ceased his actions to a sudden halt.  
  
"…akab…"  
  
He was breathing hard, as his eyes swept to the side, glancing at one of his hands, which was trembling and had turned to a different shade of red from the constant strikes. Akihito realized they both had gone numb to the core. With his energy diminishing, he dropped them to his sides, letting the rest of his weight fall fully onto the wood.  
  
"… **aba.** "  
  
The slow burning throb resonated through his fingers, with a prickling sensation running through the bones of his hands and forearms. His breath had finally caught up to an even pace, as he gulped for more of it once in a while.  
  
" **Takaba!** "  
  
He stiffened, suddenly caught off guard from his name being called loudly on the other side. It was enough to make him stumble away from the door with a few weak paces. The wooden panel clicked open, but whoever was on the opposite side held onto the knob, leaving it to part enough to a sliver of a line.  
  
  
  
"Takaba?…  Can I come in?…", Renji contained his voice to a low tone again, mostly not to frighten the young man.  
  
He stood there hesitantly waiting for a reply, holding his own breath as it was. He became very worried for the boy when the beating against the door became more rapid and violent. When he heard that loud cry in the midst of the racket, it made his heart sink to an extent that he wanted to barge in and yet couldn't. He tried calling out a couple of times, and was glad his voice finally caught some attention.  
  
Though now he was only met with silence. Thinking back, Shiki had tried to stop him and almost prevented him from trying to disturb the other. But a point came where it seemed the emotional rage was too severe, and both of them weren't sure how to contain the escalation of the depressing situation anymore. He decided that he would give it a try and take care of it, urging Shiki to head on out and start some of the much needed preparations.  
  
 _Which would have been better?  
  
Leaving him alone to grieve, or having someone close by him?_  
  
It was a constant debated going over in his head.  
  
None of Takaba's friends were called in due to the confidentially of the matter. And even if they were contacted now, it felt like it would be too late. It seemed like the young man needed someone now. Even at this very moment, he stood still, divided by the wall and all he could hear were suppressed gasps and cries coming from within the room. Until a sudden loud thud echoed against the floor.  
  
It made his heart stop, and without any doubt of waiting for an answer, he immediately pushed the door wide open.  
Instantly spotting Takaba sitting on his knees a few feet across from him as he entered. It appeared the other had heavily collapsed down onto them. The young man attempted to hide his flushed face, wiping away with the back of his hands the wet trails on his cheeks. Though it didn't help and he dropped them listlessly to his laps. Takaba wouldn't meet his gaze, and drooped his head, as his green eyes caught sight of the florid color in the small trembling hands. Renji could tell just how much the other was struggling with himself.  
  
He carefully approached the fragile form, and leaned forward, reaching out for the faintly trembling shoulder.  
  
"Takaba?", he spoke softly, his voice filled with worry.  
  
He touched the photographer gently, trying to gain his attention to at least look up. This wasn't the state he wanted to see the younger one in, even though it couldn't be helped. Instead the small hand shoved his forearm harshly, abruptly breaking the contact.  
  
"Don't bother…" he muttered, the rest of the sentence was hushed out on a shuddering intake of air.  
  
Looking down upon the boy, as another loud whimper was forcefully stifled. Renji felt confused by the statement.  
  
"Don't bother with what?", he questioned quietly.  
  
Before he could retract, Takaba stormed with rage, his reddened face shot up glaring at him with hostility.  
  
"Don't _bother_ with _**ME!!!!**_ ", he screamed out.  
  
Slender arms pushed at his thighs with a mustered force, making him stumble back by a step or two. Though he mostly held a firm stance, and in its chain reaction, it caused the young man to rebound back towards the floor instead.  
  
  
Akihito quickly twisted around, stopping his fall in time with the heels of his palms, as they slammed against the wooden tiles. Groaning from the discomfort surging through his hands. He blearily glared at the floor, clenching his teeth, his breath hissing each time it was taken. Trembling waves pass through him, as he stayed on his hands and knees. A knot tightened in his stomach, his emotions were in turmoil, boiling over.  
  
  
Renji kept his distance, he could see the young man was attempting to hold his pain silently, and didn't want to show it to anyone. But he was crumbling all together even more by doing so. He decided not to just stay put and observe, and had to do something while he was still inside these quarters. However just by taking a step forward, the boy weakly scurried away across the floor from his presence and towards the nightstand.  
  
Cornering his back against the unit and bed, those infuriating eyes returning to his. The boy winced and flinched, evidently from the pain rushing up his limbs, as he subconsciously kept clenched his hands.  
  
Takaba shook his head, as if he was unable to accept what had transpired. And began to mutter something in a very low tone, it was incoherent at first, before the rest of it was roared at him.  
  
"I don't deserve it… I don't _deserve_ any of this… I don't need _you_ watching over me… I don't need **_ANYTHING!!!_** "  
  
Renji stood there, shutting his eyes momentarily. Hearing the statement pitching high and low through the sharp intakes of air. It was obvious Takaba was starting to wall up in his own frustration. And still somehow holding himself accountable over the incident he had nothing to do with.  
  
  
Akihito turned towards the nightstand, grabbing the edges firmly, and attempted to lift himself up with what seemed his last ounce of strength. All of his rioting emotions and what had passed made him so feeble. He couldn't stand any of it that very moment. Halfway up, he nearly slipped and jolted the unit to gain back his balance, knocking over the apple juice filled glass in the process.  
  
It spilled over his hand, and tipped off the side of counter, straight to the floor. Its loud clattering noise seemed to still him completely, sinking him back down to his knees. His wide eyes focused on the empty object that didn't shatter, but should have been in a million pieces by now. His inhales became shorter, he couldn't calm himself down anymore. His heart hammered loudly in his ears, as it dwelled further into the anguish and anger within him, like a dark poison.  
  
Everything around him was now blindly irritating. His vision was starting to lose its clarity and slightly spin. That when he caught sight of the man nearing his side from the corner of his eye, the wildfire grew within him more dangerously. His numb fingers quickly clutched the rim of the food tray, which still contained plates and small portions of his meal. Taking hold of it tightly, he flung it viciously towards the older man, expelling his wrath with it.  
  
" _ **GO AWAY!!!**_ ", he screamed hoarsely at the top of his lungs, enraged, as some of the objects flew through the air while others clinked loudly against the wooden floor.  
  
He just wanted to be alone now. In his own misery. He didn't have a care in the world anymore to be bothered with or what would become of him.  
  
  
Renji didn't except that sort of thing to come flying towards him, seeing the twisted rage formed on the younger face. He was lucky enough to have raised his arm up in time to shield his face. The metal platter hit him roughly against the chest like a boomerang, taking a small gust of air out of him. One of the plates managed to ricochet hard against his wristwatch. Breaking on its impact, as a large sharp piece grazed his cheekbone. The sting of the cut didn't cause him much pain, yet it did set him into a feverish motion.  
  
His own barrier to stay calm dropped dramatically, and he decided to take some action against the uncontrollable boy. The glare of anger in the hazel eyes flickered into a flash of fear, yet it didn't do enough to banish the thorns that were embedded deep within. Even before Takaba could change direction to avoid his grasp, he already had caught onto one of the slender wrists easily.  
  
Pulling up roughly by it, the lean body followed along like a rag doll with the heartless tug. The circumstances had become more personal now on his behalf.  
  
"Ngh… Let… nnn… **NO!** … Let **GO!** …", the loud screeches were all he heard, ringing at a high pitch in his ears. It didn't cause enough of a reaction in him to stop though.  
  
  
Akihito struggled, putting in all his weight to pull his arm free. Though his strength wasn't lingering around anymore, and no match to the guard's, making it harder for him to fight back. The pent up remorse had washed it all away, as a deep scar painted over his heart.  
  
He growled internally, while using his free hand, he dug his nails into the one clutching onto him, then tried to pry the fingers off his wrist. Hearing the other curse under his breath at his crude efforts. When it failed, he yanked at his arm hard again, though the man retracted to his action with more force. Jerking him forward roughly once more, this time towards the large body, while simultaneously turning him around.  
  
Akihito found himself immediately locked in the large bulky arms, restrained from making a move.  
  
The guard tightened his hold on him. Both dense hands grasped onto his thin forearms over his waist, crossing them over one another. His back was pressed securely against the muscled chest. Akihito writhed in the restriction, with only his shaky legs free, and began to kick around franticly, anything to set himself loose from the burly man.  
  
Grinding his teeth, he screamed with the fury bottling inside him. He placed one foot on the edge of the bed's wooden foundation and pushed himself off of it with everything he had, hoping it would cause the other to lose his balance or grip.  
  
However it had the opposite effect. The man swung him away to the side in time, using its velocity, and instead of toppling to the floor, they both fell onto the large bed in a heavy puff.  
  
  
Renji didn't ease his grip as they lay there on their sides. Takaba was still twisting and squirming mildly against him. Huffing and panting with whatever the remainder of energy he seemed to have left. He held him close, quietly waiting with the patience he managed to gain back in the last few seconds of their bout. His right hand stung from the few scratches he received from the boy. It nearly made him reach a critical degree, where he could have done something more blown out of proportion and regrettable.  
  
Suppressing his own anger was almost unattainable, nevertheless he submerged it painfully. The slim body in his grasp was overheated and trembling, but no matter what, didn't give up on its straining fight.  
  
Renji wanted the boy to calm down a bit, give him a chance to talk about the overall situation and what he most likely had heard. However, in all his exasperation of being confined to move, Takaba just kept struggling more, till he finally broke down wailing in his arms.  
  
"Let me goooo!… _Please_ … _hic_ … please… just let me _goooo_!" Takaba begged, sobbing the words continually out into the sheets.  
  
That heart-aching jab struck him with a heavy force, as he swallowed the lump in his throat and squeezed his eyes shut. This time trying to get the welling up burn out of them. He still refused to budge, enduring it as much as he possibly could, with the main question filling his mind once more.  
  
 _Why is he being so hard on himself?…  
  
What can I even do for him?…_  
  
Renji didn't know how many minutes passed until the cries diluted to faint raspy gasps and whimpers. That was when he decided to partially get up, while still having the other in his arms, and carefully maneuvered around to try and get his legs under him. And then drew the fragile form fully upright along with him, keeping him close against his torso, as he repositioned himself more comfortably onto his knees. The boy ended up sitting between his thighs, with legs sprawled out in front, and then suddenly tried to find traction in the covers as the lean body went rigid, pushing against him with tension once more.  
  
He sensed Takaba was still aiming for another chance of escaping him. So he decided to gently rock, embracing the trembling form the only way he knew. With some care. And in the midst of it, the boy partially declined the attempt of another struggle, leaving only the rolling emotions out in the open. Renji finally managed to take a deep breath and brought his lips close enough to edge of the small ear, his cheek resting against the warm mop of hair.  
  
"Shhhhh… Please… I'm… I'm sorry… just take it easy…", he spoke softly, trying to keep his tone leveled, "I don't want to hurt you nor put you down. And… and I don't want to see you hurting yourself as you right now.", his voice filled with the deepest concern and honesty.  
  
It didn't entirely subdue the younger man, as a choked up sob escaped the quivering lips. He knew Takaba was taking it a lot harder, his utterance only made him fidget in his arms restlessly, again. Nevertheless, the statement was partially true, his eyes glanced down to see one of the slender hands he held. It was swollen now, the color gone to a very deep shade of red. Renji took another raggedy breath in, knowing this wasn't going to be easy for either of them.  
  
"You can get mad at the rest of the world… You've got every right to grieve…" he continued to whisper in the other's ear, "but _not_ like this…", he insisted.  
  
Trying to get through to Takaba somehow.  
  
"You've got to know you're not the only one… you're not alone in this, Takaba… so please…", his voice nearly hitched towards the end on his own sentiments.  
  
He just couldn't watch the young man fall apart like this. It was hard enough that the pain was the same within his own heart. He was filled with so much sorrow, anger and vengeance. All mixed into one big bundle. Though, he had to remain strong for everyone else's sake around him, keeping a solid composure up front. That is what Asami-sama liked about him in the first place, it was the reason he had this job and rank.  
  
His eyes had seen enough deaths, enough comrades fall along the way. However, this time it was life changing from what he was used to. By now he was aware the news must be spreading like wildfire throughout the organization. Being a shock to anyone that was familiar with either of the men. And he had to keep everything in mind, including the fact that some barriers of truce will be falling down sooner or later, with danger following behind them.  
  
  
"But it is my fault…", Akihito mumbled quietly.  
  
"I should have stopped him from going in the first place… or never called for him to return… but I never thought — ", he whined, with small sobs interrupting his utterance.  
  
"I should _never_ have gone along with any of those warnings…", he hissed out the rest through clenched teeth, feeling the deep regret.  
  
Squeezing his eyes shut as the anger rekindled. He just couldn't stop the tears from overflowing, as the wave of emotions swept away all his rational thoughts.  
  
  
Renji just stayed silent, making an effort to understand what the boy was talking about as the last phrase somehow caused his heart to skip a beat. It was the same notions the other had mentioned yesterday morning, but that time they barely made any sense to him through the painful cries that filled the hall.  
  
" _Who_ gave you warnings?" he asked trying not to sound too intimidating. He wanted some sort of answer to all of this at least now.  
  
Renji noticed the boy was taking this somehow too strenuously upon himself. And not just because of the accident, the newly revealed facts, or that they both had to somehow endure their losses. It was his reactions, there was some indication that there was much more to all of this than the young man was letting on. Now was his opportunity to at least get down to the bottom of what it was. To at least get a lead.  
  
  
Akihito felt his blood run cold abruptly to the question. He didn't know how to explain himself. Anything he would say now, will make him sound _crazy._  
  
 _Do I tell him it was ' **me** '… that it was a strange dream… repeating over and over…_  
  
It was too late to turn back time, too late to take it all back. He fell silent instead, the thoughts swirling in his head of how he could truly justify it.  
  
  
Renji felt the boy stiffen and then slowly slacken in his arms, giving up the last fight towards him.  
  
"Tsk… Fine… you don't have to answer me, if it makes you that uncomfortable." Renji muttered, sort of irritated that it was a silent treatment he was receiving instead.  
  
Sighing, "I just want to know…" he breathed out softly.  
  
Only Asami-sama knew how to handle the kid, he was almost clueless of how to pick the right words of interrogation for his much needed answers. Force wasn't going to be the resolution to it, either.  
  
He eased his hold from the tight embrace he had on the other, and slowly scooted himself backwards over towards the large headboard. With the young man in light tow, he hauled him along the short distance. Takaba didn't bother running away at this point, allowing him to do as he required, at least for now, willfully.  
  
Renji threw another pillows behind him for support and leaned his back into it and the wall, while Takaba ended up resting against his right side. The young man was sandwiched between his bulky body, and large arm, which was still wrapped across the other's torso and held onto the thin wrist as a precaution. With the lissome back against his chest, the sandy mop of hair lay in the nook of his shoulder, facing away from him.  
  
There was that moment of awkward silence, where both of them were somewhat worn out, and gazing out the gloomy window. The bright sun that lingered earlier in the day had now vanished behind a heavy atmosphere of dark clouds. And the spring shower droplets began to scatter across the clear window.  
  
Suddenly, he heard subdued sniffles once more coming from below, followed by softly whispered condemnations. The crying he didn't mind, anyone would understand the grieving for another life. It was the words of guilt, which moved him to at least try and be more compassionate.  
  
Renji slid his free hand across the boy's forehead, the heat resonated intensely from the flushed skin. Takaba was completely a nerve wreck, in shambles, tied down by various sentiments that were just eating him up alive. Shifting his palm lower, he covered the hazel eyes, as trickles of tears smudged over his thick skin. Silently, he thought over the best ways to ease the temperament that lay deep inside this child.  
  
Takaba was a fighter, always resilient whenever it came to their reckless chases. All those times that were filled with troublesome stakeouts, the boy managed to be optimistic and have a spirited fire within. He even survived a near death experience. The recollection of that instantly twisted a knife in his heart, since he was responsible for the particular incident. And now with him in his arms like this, Takaba was extinguishing faster than the speed of light. Renji took in a few steady breaths, hoping to find the right words to console the one lying next to him.  
  
"Takaba, you can't blame yourself entirely for something like this. Even if you _say_ you had some kind of warning…  You had no control what so ever over what would take place…  You couldn't have possibly known how it all would have gone down…", his voice trailed off in sentence. Sensing the slim body going completely rigid against him, huffing out a sharp shuddering exhale.  
  
  
Akihito spoke in a low voice, not strong to hold a stable flow of tone, "But I did **_see it_** … ", he insisted.  
  
The flashback of the dream glimpsed through his eyes in the darkness of the dense hand. Clenching his hands tightly into fists, the ache striving through them fiercely as a reminder.  
  
" **All of it… _more than once_ … And _I_ —** ", he screamed out the rest.  
  
  
Out of reaction Renji moved his hand over the lips, clamping down on them from saying anymore, while the other tightened its grip once more on the wrist. His arms placing secure pressure to try and keep the boy still.  The anger was boiling inside the young man again, he could feel it vibrating throughout the lean body, as it mildly thrashed next to him. It almost seemed like Takaba was about to have another outburst against him. Forcefully, he pushed his large palm upwards, still concealing the trembling lips and slightly turned the small face towards his own.  
  
Holding the chin firmly, which made the other's head press into his shoulder and upper arm. He gazed intimidatingly to the side into those hazel eyes, that seemed to be enraged, red and glazed over with brimming tears. Confusion stirred in them for a split second, however he could see there was another fight going on, on an inner level, deep within the other. He held him so tightly for a moment, wanting to understand the young man, although his own fury grew in the commotion of negative thoughts.  
  
His green eyes narrowed, as they filled with wrath for a mere second towards the boy, glaring into the suddenly bewildered hazel ones. Attempting to comprehend what the brat genuinely meant by ' _seen_ ' and the impossibility of it even close to happening. It really didn't make logical sense to him, that he had a hard time wrapping his mind around it.  
  
The same thing caught him off guard the other morning, when the young man uttered an abnormal question regarding ' _nightmares coming true_ '. He thought Takaba only meant in theory, but even by then the boy wasn't in his right state of mind anymore.  
  
 _Damn it…  this is foolish, even on my part…  he has been under my watch throughout the whole ordeal…  
  
Unless…  
  
Did Eisei fill his head with some sort of detail that I wasn't aware of?…  
  
Was there something important that I might have missed in between?… Some kind of indication?_  
  
The boy whimpered loudly, his eyes were entranced with the hazel ones, as sheer confusion phased through them of what was going to happen. That the other began to sharply inhale air through the nose, struggling under his fixed hold. Renji removed his hand immediately, however, still held onto the wrist with the same amount of pressure, steadily trying to calm his instinct of discontent.  
  
"Sorry… ", Renji uttered lowly and cleared his throat, before bringing up the next question,  
"How… could you have _seen_ it?", somewhat attempting to control his unsteady voice.  
  
Though it still sounded too fierce to the other. The question, itself, even more absurd to him when it came out.  
  
  
Akihito rolled fully onto his side in his confined space, facing away from those gleaming eyes and towards the wall. They seemed to be interrogating him severely, and he sensed a judgment was being placed upon him. His heart began to thrash as his skin crawled with waves of goosebumps from the intimidation he felt. He was entrapped, with nowhere he could go nor get away to. So how was he supposed to just come out and say it, without having a repercussion follow right behind it.  
  
  
"Did someone threaten you before it happened?… Say anything to you?… Do something?", Renji asked again, his voice filled with urgency and fair confusion.  
  
 _Is that the reason he had been attacked recently?_  
  
Recalling not only the moment in the underground garage, but also the one that Shiki had interfered with.  His eyes intensely stared down at the younger man, who wouldn't dare look back at him. He had sensed the boy shiver from his voice, but he had to press these questions on. He had already waited with some uneasiness, as before it was impossible to get close enough to the truth. He only hoped for some sort of clarification, here and now.  
  
"Did… Eisei?" he uttered the name as a last resort.  
  
The boy shook his head vigorously in his shoulder.  
  
  
"No…" Akihito choked out.  
  
"My nightmares…", his voice trembled, as the rest of his words were breathed out raggedly, "They kept repeating the scene over and over…  Just like it happened…"  
  
"He was telling me… or I thought… asking me, for Asami to return…  come back to the city… everything in them pointed to it…", his voice wavered.  
  
" ** _It_** was a mistake… All of it was a _damn_ mistake…", he reached an uneven pitch, " _ **my** mistake_ …", it hissed off his tongue, his voice quivering into a cry filled with wrenched guilt.  
  
  
Renji scrunched his eyebrows as he eyed the boy more carefully, who was now clinging tightly to his arm. This time he was truly baffled by what was disclosed, unsure how to perceive it, his words caught in his throat. It wasn't what he expected, yet so similar to what had been said before, just lost in all strength of conviction.  
  
Renji somewhat accepted the reason of why the young man had been edgy, even before the incident itself, took place. Like the time Takaba was terribly antsy in the limo two days ago, unable to find comfort in the small space, and ended up huddling into himself. It was proof that the other might have been aware of something then, however, he misinterpreted that anxiousness as a result from the unpredictable attack that occurred the night before. Though, it did make sense why the boy was acting erratic after the tragic news broke, and how it manifested strongly through Takaba, when he suddenly began to take it all upon himself.  
  
 _Still…_ He wanted to curse under his breath.  
  
To him, to spite oneself that much, when the other barely even had a hand in it. It seemed entirely ridiculous. The explanation he just heard muddled his mind, sounding like an absurd tall tale, leaving him in vast disbelief.  
  
 _Were they… premonitions?…  
  
But even if they were… he was still incapable to —_  
  
He suddenly got a bad vibe run into the pit of his stomach, recalling how stubborn Takaba was about leaving his flat. How the other seemed distraught over something, and bargained with the man over the phone. He took a thick swallow, feeling its discomfort.  
  
 _All of that was followed by Asami-sama's order to sedate Takaba. On top of that he cancelled his long planned trip immediately._  
  
His eyes widened, in realization of the one sign.  
  
 _Asami-sama must have been convinced something was wrong…_ He uncomfortably glanced down at the trembling boy.  
  
 _He **was** coming back because of **his** words…_  
  
Renji tried to hold himself content, unsure of what to do now. Was he, too, held responsible for not catching onto it. The inevitable danger that was heading directly towards his boss.  
  
The return was originally his first hint that something was off, yet, he dismissed it internally. He didn't have a habit of questioning his boss' intentions, and neither did Izumi. He tried to discuss it with his partner, to make sure they stayed on par with the current data and plans. However, they never _were_ , he never even got a chance to get further details off of Izumi. While he continued being busy with his investigation of who made the attempt on Takaba, he waited patiently for the next calls. They never came. He deducted that Asami-sama must have kept quiet on the matter overall, and most likely was just trying to keep it under wraps after the boy's dangerous incident.  
  
 _Damn it…_ He scowled at himself.  
  
 _Were there too many distractions… How could **I** have missed something so important?…_  
  
Swallowing up the dreadful feeling, he exhaled a very deep sigh, and readjusted himself onto his side, enclosing the gap between their bodies as he wound his arms tightly around the small frame. Now, he understood the feelings the other must be harboring. He had to remain strong, not letting this revelation hit him hard compared to the way it seized Takaba.  
  
Embracing the shuddering body from behind, "It's _still_ **not** your fault…" he whispered softly down into the other's ear, repeating it more than once to be surely heard.  
  
"It'll **_never_** be your fault, but those who decided to act _against **us**_.", his words vibrated in the air, almost like a vow that revenge was going to be taken one way or another.  
  
In the end, there were only boundless tears soaking into his shirt sleeve, while he held on, wishing he could do something more for the other.  
  
  
Everything seemed too much for his own uneasy mind, now. He knew things were going to get more difficult from this point on. With the man, himself, gone, what was there really left to do.  
  
 _How will the organization be taken care of, or even survive?_  
  
There was no heir, and Asami-sama's linage wasn't that well known to any of them. Most of the man's personal life was hidden off by a mask, locked away from everyone that was even presumably close to him.  
  
The other thing that crawled into his mind was regarding Takaba, and if he was really capable of taking care of him through the roughest part of it.  
  
 _Will he be all right after all this is over?…  
  
Will he feel like me, trying to find a way to avenge Asami-sama?… Or hide it deeply in his heart, creating a mark on him for a life time?…  
  
Would he be even able to move on?_  
  
Renji took a deep breath and held it, while carefully unraveling himself from the lean body. Rolling back onto his back and into the pillow once more, he exhaled slowly as his mind wandered through the events that passed, frowning how all this had come to be. He didn't take much notice to how the room fell into a solemn still motion, with only the pattering rain resonating against the large glass. His green eyes gazed out the murky window, following the thin rivets of water streaming down the panel.  
  
He didn't have the heart to move away from his position, glancing down to the side over at Takaba, who was still hanging over his large arm. He gently released the small wrist he had continuously held onto, and flexed his hand a little as his fingers had gotten stiff. Reaching over the boy, he pulled on the silk sheets from the other side, covering Takaba slightly with it. After every expelled emotion, all that was left to give the boy some recollection of peace, was slumber. Especially, after those revelations that had befallen upon them all in the afternoon.  
  
  
  
Shiki walked into the penthouse, as of lately, the place always seemed to be set to a dark tone. This time the gloomy skies took away the beauty of the sun, however, it suited the mood more perfectly. His eyes drifted down the hall, noticing right away that the bedroom door was wide open.  
  
 _Has he finally come out?_  
  
Scanning the other quarters of the area quickly, he found the spaces somberly silent like usual, including the study.  
  
 _Hmmm… guess not… but then where has Renji gone to?_  
  
Quietly, he treaded towards the open door in the hallway, and stopped in its threshold at the sight he found in front of him. The dim light poured from the nightstand lamp, adding little warmth to its grey surroundings. The room was somewhat a mess, with food, shattered fragments of a plate and utensils scattered across the floor.  
  
His gaze followed up to the bed, where his comrade was reclined against the wooden headboard. Focusing his blue eyes a little more, he noticed the smaller frame on the other side, facing towards the wall and mostly obscured by the burly man. While his comrade seemed to be deeply entranced on the window, lost in thought.  
  
Taking a step towards the two, Renji quickly glanced at him, making him freeze in his motion suddenly. Instead, the other placed his index finger over his lips, indicating for him to stay as quiet as possible. When he cut the distance quickly and quietly to the bedside, he was stunned, realizing why his colleague hadn't moved from the boy's side at all. The young man had wrapped his arms around the immense one, hugging it to some extent comfortably in a peaceful sleep. He noticed the swollen sides of the small hands, instantly, knowing very well from where it came from.  
  
Even now, he could recall the rapid banging against the door. It made his heart jump each time he heard the booming sound. At that time, he tried to drag Renji out of the penthouse so the boy could at least have a bit of his own space to sort himself out. However, the blond man wouldn't budge from the corridor, instructing him to leave instead and take over on getting all the arrangements done in his stead. Glancing back at Renji, who just lightly shrugged off whatever he had on his mind, and the expression he must have just been making.  
  
  
Renji deeply exhaled, finally able to attain an extent of some comfort from everything, including his fixed duty more or less. What has been happening had taken a greater effect on him than he actually realized. He had time to ponder about it while being with himself in the quiet room. Both him and Takaba shared the same suffering, however, the boy's being deeper on many levels. What mattered the most to him this very moment, was the young man was finally in a serene state. So far he hadn't notice any fitfulness in the other's sleep, and hoped more than ever that he got through that barrier of guilt and anger Takaba held against himself.  
  
After a moment of silence passed, he broke it with a whisper, "How are things looking?"  
  
Gazing up into blue eyes that had softened up while watching over the boy.  
  
  
Blinking away, Shiki kneeled down near the bedside, so his voice would be obstructed by the large body. He didn't want to wake Takaba either, especially after all the effort Renji must have put into calming the other down. Though his eyes widened and instantly narrowed with disapproval, spotting the thin line of red against the man's left cheekbone. Not to mention the previous injury that had already discolored the skin.  
  
"Geez…",he quietly hissed out, "You're looking more roughed up by each day… ", indicating towards the other's face. Now all the facial bruising his partner had gained seemed more prominent.  
  
  
Renji lifted his hand to his face, his finger tracing the embossed mark on his left cheek, which now was quite dry. He had forgotten all about it as he glanced down at the sleeping form.  
  
"Never mind that… just give me an update… " he retorted, hushing out the next remark.  
  
Shiki nodded, understanding the look that was just given, it had to do something with Takaba. Taking a small breath, he quietly murmured the information he had.  
  
"Well… since the remains were identified, they have been released to us. And out of the condition of them… there was some discussion to do things a little out of order."  
  
He stalled, peeking over at the frail form, seeing if there was any change.  
  
"The earliest I could set the funeral for was three days from now, in the early afternoon. The wake or I guess I would call it more of a memorial service now, will be held after tomorrow in the late afternoon in one of the exclusive clubs to accommodate the attendance. People of importance are being notified as we speak, regarding both the tragedy and service… I know not everyone can attend both sessions, though they'll most likely try.", he quietly explained.  
  
"Some of our men are having a hard time dealing with the facts or the incident.", his voice wavered slightly, knowing well how they felt.  
  
He paused momentarily, looking down at his clenched hands in his lap, as his mind quickly blinked back to his men and their reaction when he solely informed them. Everyone was very unsettled, as they had continue on and endure the difficult task of passing the news along to others. The small thought caused him to falter, as he tried to bring himself back to continue on with the rest of the agenda.  
  
"Umm… as for Izumi-san…" he spoke with sorrow in his voice, "Well, since he didn't have any family that I could find in the registry. I was thinking we could do something after Asami-sama's wake… Just with our men alone. A small memorial and burial ceremony.", he suggested it to Renji.  
  
"Does that sound… reasonable to you?", he whispered quietly, sensing his throat tightening.  
  
Shiki looked up, carefully watching Renji's reaction, and seeing the green eyes suddenly sadden in thought. It only seemed right to leave the final decision up to the man, who worked the closes with the other. And after a moment there was a small nod.  
  
"Sure… I hope he'll be pleased with that…" Renji murmured, and pursed his lips tightly afterwards.  
  
Shiki nodded in agreement, and somberly continued on.  
  
"Oshiro-san, Asami-sama's lawyer, will stop by tomorrow afternoon, if not, then the day after. He said he has to speak with you in person, and seems to have small inquires regarding Asami's will being… incomplete, and —" Shiki sighed, unsure how to conclude his statement as he glanced over at the sandy mop of hair, hoping that nothing had been heard.  
  
Renji on the other hand gazed at him in surprise.  
  
  
"Wait… What do you mean _incomplete_?" Renji gruffly whispered out.  
  
 _Asami-sama wasn't the type to leave things undone, he practically set things in stone months ahead.  
  
What caused this sudden change?_  
  
His comrade just shrugged his shoulders, since that seemed how far to the extent the other got informed by the lawyer. It instantly turned his mood grim.  
  
 _But it still doesn't make sense?…_ The knowledge of it alone made him very unsettled.  
  
"I'm guessing we still have nothing on the culprits.", he muttered out with a firm intent.  
  
  
Shiki just shook his head in a 'no'.  
  
"Sorry. Nothing that we can follow on.", he breathed out.  
  
  
Renji sighed in disappointment that there was not a thing to go by on the matter, including on what he got out from the boy. Were the circumstances really so dire. He had most of the men stationed on regular posts, while the ones he trusted the most were specifically pulled away in the morning to work on the investigation and collaborate with the agents from the other town. Aware that most of the reports would take time in coming in or getting compiled, and expected some of it at least start flowing in tomorrow.  
  
 _How long will it take us to find something? Anything?_  
  
Squeezing his eyes shut, he didn't want to think about it too much now. Things have been set in motion, all he had to do was keep his guard up on his speculations and suspicions.  
  
"Can you bring some cool towels, ice, and at least two bottles of water?", he quietly made the small request as he sensed the other had finally risen.  
  
  
Shiki eyed his partner carefully, and immediately question his intent instead.  
  
"How long do you plan on staying here?" he asked, sounding a little too firm than he liked.  
  
Renji cracked his eyes a little and peered down to the side, upon the innocence next to him. Lightly, he ran his hand through the sandy hair, wanting to give the other a sense of comfort in any way. His fingertips picked up on the heat still emitting intensely from the young man.  
  
"Don't know…" he mumbled out, shaking his head without looking back up at the man.  
  
 _Until he is all right…  
  
Until he is stable enough…  
  
Until he forgets what he has said he'd 'seen'…  
  
Until he let goes of all his guilt…  
  
Who knows… maybe… I, too, am to blame… _  
  
He didn't have the right answers anymore, hearing Shiki quietly walk away from his side without getting a real response from him. For now, it was better for him to stay by this boy's side, protecting him one way or another. He might have not cared before, granted that Takaba and him rarely saw eye to eye on anything. However, this was the only way he could repay his boss, and keep his duty alive for that man alone. As long as it had to take.

 

 


End file.
